Revenge
by ijustkeepswimming
Summary: What happens when an old enemy comes to track Charlie down...?
1. Chapter 1

_Hi everyone. Welcome to my new story. I really hope you like it. The idea was suggested to me by stacepike and it's a rather alternate version of the end of the 2011 season. This chapter is short but it will gather momentum. I would greatly appreciate your feedback. Love, IJKS xxx_

**Revenge**

**Chapter One**

It was Sergeant Charlie Buckton's last day at work. Having blurred lines of the law and fallen in love with a man on the wrong side of the tracks, she had decided once and for all that she would give up her career.

Standing in front of the mirror and pinning her badge to her shirt, she felt a mix of emotions. Part of her was happy and excited about the future. She, her daughter, her boyfriend and her boyfriend's brother would be leaving Summer Bay in a few days, ready to start a new life together where Charlie being a police officer and Darryl 'Brax' Braxton being an ex-gang member wouldn't matter.

But part of her was devastated. All she had ever wanted in life was to be a police officer. She couldn't help but think her father was probably turning in his grave at the thought that she had given it up for love.

That in itself felt like a very alien concept. How had she ever got to a point where she loved someone that much? Even the person she had fallen hardest for hadn't worked out. Two years ago, Charlie had surprised herself and everyone else by falling in love with a woman. She still thought Joey Collins was the most wonderful woman on the planet. She loved Brax the same amount but in a different way. Both relationships had been very different but very powerful. They had both set to change Charlie's life.

Having lost Joey, Charlie was pleased to have been able to make it work with Brax. She had dated another guy in between but Angelo Rosetta had never stood a chance. She had tried and failed to love him and the whole thing had just turned into one epic nightmare. Since their break up, after a few run-ins with Brax's gang, the River Boys, he had fallen in love with Nicole Franklin. She had taken back the baby boy she'd wanted to have adopted and she and Angelo had wandered off into the sunset together.

"Okay, Charlie," she said to herself, checking that her uniform was perfect. "You're still a cop. Make this last day count."

Taking a deep breath, she exited her bedroom. She froze the moment she walked into the lounge. There, she came face to face with a person that made her blood run cold. She stared at him, feeling panic and revulsion.

"Hello, officer," Robert 'Robbo' Cruze said.

* * *

_Next time… Robbo abducts Charlie…_


	2. Chapter 2

_Thanks to everyone who left nice and constructive feedback for this one. I hope you enjoy the chapter. Love, IJKS xxx_

**Chapter Two**

"What the…?" Charlie began.

Robbo lurched forward and grabbed hold of her, pressing a gun against her temple.

"Long time, no see," he said, his voice gravelly and evil. "You didn't even visit me in jail."

"You should have gone to jail for the rest of your life," she told him, ignoring the danger she was in. "You should have been left there to rot."

"Well, I wasn't," Robbo told her. "I've been out for a week now and I know exactly how to celebrate my freedom."

Charlie swallowed, willing panic not to take over.

"We're going on a little trip."

Charlie pushed away from him but froze again when he cocked the gun. He aimed straight for her face and warned her that he would have no issue with pulling the trigger if she tried anything stupid.

"Cuff yourself," he told her.

"What?"

"You heard me!"

He gestured with the gun and ordered her to handcuff her hands together. He intervened and corrected her when she tried to keep her hands in front of her.

"Now give me the key," he demanded.

All the while trying to figure her way out of the situation, she did as she was told. She longed for Ruby and Brax to come back and find her. She was desperate to be saved. This was supposed to be the last day of her old life, ready for the first day of her new one. And although she was distraught over leaving a vocation she had dedicated her life to, she loved Brax and she wanted to be a family with him, Casey and Ruby.

"Let's go," he said, holding the gun with one hand and gripping her shoulder too tightly with the other.

"We'll take your car," he decided. "Where are the keys?"

Charlie nodded towards the kitchen table. Robbo grabbed them and continued to drag her outside. He shoved her roughly into the passenger seat. Her hands were joined together behind her of her and he crouched down to tape her legs together.

"I know what you're like," he said. "Don't got getting any ideas of escaping before I'm done with you. Not that you'll be able to escape after that anyway."

He slammed the car door loudly, making Charlie jump. Then he moved around to the driver's seat and started the engine.

"Where are you taking me?" Charlie demanded, a quiver in her voice.

"We're taking a little road trip," he told her, pulling quickly out of the drive and down the road.

"Where?" Charlie snapped.

"To see your old girlfriend," he replied. "I've got some unfinished business with her."

Charlie froze in panic. _Please don't hurt Joey_, she thought to herself. She felt sick just thinking of her ex-girlfriend going through any more trauma than she had already had to put up with – from both of them.

"Why do you want to see her?" she demanded.

"Like I said, unfinished business," he replied.

"What the hell do you need me for?" Charlie wanted to know.

He turned to look at her for a moment before returning his eyes to the road.

"You're my hostage," he said. "How else do you expect her to do everything I say?"

"Joey hates me," Charlie said. "You're not going to get much out of her."

"I'll take my chances," he said. "Now, sit back and enjoy the ride. You haven't got long for this world, Sergeant Buckton."

* * *

_Next time… Charlie attempts to escape while concern ripples through Summer Bay…_


	3. Chapter 3

_Sorry for the lack of update yesterday. Everything got a bit hectic. I hope you enjoy the chapter. Love, IJKS xxx_

**Chapter Three**

"You're wasting your time," Charlie insisted, still trapped in the passenger seat of Robbo's car as he drove to who knew where.

"Aren't you up for a little reunion?" he asked. "You were so hot for each other before."

Charlie swallowed, caught between anger and grief.

"Well, we're not now," she snapped. "So why don't you just fuck off and leave us both alone?"

He laughed nastily.

"I heard you were trying to play for both teams," he said. "She got a bit upset that you wanted to sleep around behind her back."

"Fuck off!" she yelled desperately.

All she wanted was to go home. She was meant to be on duty now and it was meant to be the very last time. Tomorrow was meant to be the start of her new life and now it looked like she would never get there.

"You've totally proved my theory," Robbo replied, unfazed.

She didn't even ask what. She knew he would tell her anyway.

"Any girl can be a lesbian until she experiences a real man," he said.

"Is that what you think you are?" Charlie hissed. "A real man?"

"Joey knows it," he said.

"You're a fucking monster!" Charlie screamed.

Her throat ached and her ears started to ring.

"You're nothing but a rapist and you should be rotting in hell!"

Robbo jerked the car to the side of the road and came to an abrupt halt. He leaned in closer to her and she could smell whisky on his breath. _Get some perspective, Charlie_, she thought to herself when she thought about the illegality and irresponsibility of drunk driving. _That really is the least of your problems right now. _All she could hope was that someone would miss her sooner or later. Preferably sooner.

"If I'm what you think I am, don't you think you should be playing along?" he snarled. "I heard that you've made the same claims Joey did on some guy you went to school with. Do you really want to live through something like that again? Still, you might enjoy it. Seeing as you love cock so much."

Charlie head butted him, hurting them both. He cried out and clutched his face while she tried and failed to liberate her hands and feet, desperate to get away from him. As soon as he turned back to her, blood on his forehead and fury in his eyes, she knew she had made a mistake.

* * *

Back in Summer Bay, Ruby and Casey were enjoying lunch at the Diner. Ruby felt a mix of emotion about leaving the town she had come to love. But she was excited about starting University and thrilled that it didn't mean she had to say goodbye to Casey or Charlie. She was looking forward to them all being a family.

"Ruby," said a voice behind her.

Ruby turned around and came face to face with Constable Watson, one of Charlie's colleagues and someone she had confessed she would miss terribly when they were gone.

"Hi, Watson," she greeted warmly.

"Do you know where Charlie is?" Watson asked, getting right to the point.

Ruby looked confused.

"She was meant to be at work," she said. "She was polishing her badge and getting ready for her last shift about an hour ago."

Watson shook her head.

"She never showed up," she said, sounding concerned.

In recent months, Charlie had made a habit of getting herself into trouble. She had been shot by Jake, the leader of a rival gang to the River Boys and then there was the car accident debacle which Watson still didn't quite understand. And that was leaving out past disasters such as nearly drowning trying to save a teenager's life and being abducted by an evil criminal behind a human trafficking organisation.

"Have you tried calling her?" Ruby asked, also worried.

"Repeatedly," the police officer replied. "But it just rings and goes to voicemail."

Ruby pulled out her own phone and tried, the same thing happened to her.

"What about Brax?" Casey asked. "Have you tried him?"

"A couple of times but he didn't pick up either," Watson informed him.

"It's not like Charlie not to show up to something," Ruby said. "Especially not something like this. She's heartbroken at having to leave work."

"Well, you last saw her at home, right?" Casey said, trying to be practical.

Ruby nodded.

"Then why don't I go and find Brax while you and Watson check the house?" he suggested. "That way we can all make sure Charlie's okay and then we can focus on our new life again."

Ruby kissed him hurriedly goodbye and dashed out of the Diner with Watson.

* * *

_Next time… the race is on to find Charlie…_


	4. Chapter 4

_Short for the purpose of tension. Love, IJKS xxx_

**Chapter Four**

Battered and bruised, Charlie landed hard in the back seat of the car. Her hands had been retied much tighter and the restraints were causing a lot of pain. He had pushed her onto the ground and kicked hard and quick. She was just grateful that he hadn't done what he'd threatened to do. Yet.

"We're running late now, you stupid bitch," Robbo snarled.

He slammed the door hard and stomped back round to the driver's seat. He locked the doors and started their journey again.

* * *

Brax and Casey arrived at the house in a hurry, to find Watson on the phone to the police and Ruby looking frantic.

"What's going on?" Brax asked. "Where's Charlie?"

"I have no idea," Ruby said, panic threatening to take over. "She's gone, so is her uniform and her handcuffs but her bag's still here and her phone."

"Her car's missing," Casey said, just in case they hadn't noticed.

Ruby nodded and allowed him to hold her. Tears threatened to spill over as she trembled in her boyfriend's arms.

Watson hung up the phone and approached the group, informing them that a large search party had been sent out to find her.

"Do you think something's happened to her?" Brax asked.

"I can't say for sure," Watson replied. "But it's definitely suspicious. We need to check it out."

Brax nodded and rubbed his head, also deeply worried about his girlfriend.

"What are we meant to do?" Ruby asked fearfully.

"All you can do is wait," the police officer told her. "Keep your phones with you in case she calls and I'll keep you as up to date as I can."

Apologising, she told them that she had to head out to join the search party.

"Please call," Ruby requested.

"I will!" Watson promised.

Silence descended on the room. Brax sat down and rested his face on his palms before leaping up again and heading for the door.

"Brax!" Casey called. "What are you doing?"

"I've got to find her!" Brax hollered back, crashing out the door and into his car.

* * *

It felt like years had passed for Charlie in the back of the car as Robbo drove particularly badly out of town.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"To find the lesbian," Robbo told her.

"Why can't you just leave her alone?" Charlie demanded, hating herself for feeling tearful.

"Because she got me jailed for three fucking years!" he told her.

"It should have been three hundred!" she yelled back.

"Do you really want to piss me off any more than you already have?" he asked. "Because I think you know what I'm capable of."

"I do," Charlie agreed. "And as soon as the police find us, you'll be dragged back to rot in jail."

* * *

_Next time… we find out what Joey's been up to…_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

It was late on The Deck, a restaurant on a boat, owned and managed by Jo Collins, who in a different life, had been known as Joey. There were three groups of remaining customers and she was looking forward to them going home. Then she could cash up and go home herself, ready to face another shift in the morning.

These days, work was Joey's life. She had worked on a trawler for a while until she had got restless again and left. She had been romanced by a beautiful woman who had bought her a boat, along with many other lavish gifts, before she'd moved on to romance someone else. Joey had kept the boat, which had fortunately been put in her name, devised a business plan and started up the restaurant.

She stood behind the bar as the last few tables paid their bills and stood to leave.

"I'll just wipe all the tables down," Fiona, her favourite employee told her, smiling pleasantly.

"Don't worry about it," Joey told her. "You head on home. I can clean up."

"Are you sure, Jo?" Fiona asked, hope evident in her voice.

Joey chuckled and nodded.

"Sure I'm sure," she said. "See you tomorrow."

"Thanks!" Fiona said, eagerly heading into the tiny room that was used as an office and staff room all at the same time.

Joey was glad that they all got along so well or the limited space everywhere except the actual dining area would be awkward.

"Bye, Jo!" Fiona called as she skipped off the boat, ready to go home to her girlfriend.

When they had first met, Fiona had made a play for Joey, who had turned her down gently. In her experience, relationships never worked out so she was of the firm belief that if you met someone you wanted to hold onto, you should never sleep with them. And Fiona was someone that Joey was very fond of. She intended to keep it that way.

She turned the speakers up so that she could listen to music while she cleaned up. She gathered plates and glasses together, ready to put them in the dishwasher, fresh and clean for tomorrow's trade. She wiped down the tables and straightened all the menus with precision.

_If I'd have known the way that this would end_

_If I'd have read the last page first_

Joey froze when the first two lines of the Trisha Yearwood song she had long ago committed to memory began to play. Dropping her dishcloth, she hurried over to her iPod, playing innocently in the corner. By the time she got there, her heart had already been struck.

_If I'd have had the strength to walk away_

_If I'd have known how this would hurt_

_I would have loved you anyway_

_I'd do it all the same_

_Not a second I would change_

_Not a touch that I would trade_

_Had I known my heart would break_

_I would have loved you anyway_

She felt like a fool but there was no way she could hear this particular song without thinking of her ex-girlfriend, Charlie. She had never loved someone as much and she had never been as broken hearted by anyone either. It was Charlie who had taught her to stop believing in happy endings. She had learnt through their brief time together that no matter how much you loved someone, you couldn't force them to love you back.

_It's bittersweet to look back now_

_At memories withered on a vine_

_Just to hold you close to me_

_For a moment in time_

_I would have loved you anyway_

_I'd do it all the same_

_Not a second I would change_

_Not a touch that I would trade_

_Had I known my heart would break_

_I would have loved you anyway_

Joey rubbed her eyes, furious with herself for getting so emotional about a woman she hadn't seen for over two years. She both loved and hated her in so many complicated ways. No matter who she had drifted in and out of relationships with since then, Charlie was always the person who made her feel the saddest, who made her long for what could have been. But then she got angry with herself and Charlie both for everything that had happened.

_Even if I'd seen it coming_

_You'd still have seen me running_

_Straight into your arms_

The door opened. Joey whirled around, ready to snap that they were closed until she realised it was Fiona.

"Don't tell me," she teased. "You left your phone here. _Again_."

Fiona laughed but shook her head.

"Some guy gave me an envelope for you," she said, stepping further into the restaurant and approaching Joey behind the bar.

"What is it?" Joey wondered.

"Since when are you called Joey?" Fiona asked. "You've always introduced yourself to everyone as Jo."

"It was my name in a past life," Joey replied quietly, lost somewhere between the envelope and the music.

_I would have loved you anyway_

_I'd do it all the same_

_Not a second I would change_

_Not a touch that I would trade_

_Had I known my heart would break_

_I would have loved you anyway_

"Well, I'll head home again then," Fiona said, noting her boss's distracted mood. "See you in the morning."

Joey smiled and waved. When she was alone, she opened the envelope, nervous of what might be inside. She tried to ignore the part of her that wished it was some sort of communication from Charlie. It wasn't. It was from someone all together.

In an unpleasant scrawl were the words: I have your precious girlfriend. If you don't want her to die then come to the abandoned warehouse. Immediately and alone. Any cops and she'll be dead before you even get there. Have you missed me enough to know who I am?

Joey felt sick. She read the words over and over again. She knew exactly who the letter was from. It was from her worst nightmare. And even more than that, it meant that Charlie was in danger.

_I would have loved you anyway_

The song finished. Joey grabbed her stuff and marched out of the restaurant, locking it up behind her.

* * *

_Next time… Watson gets a lead, Brax confronts Jake, Ruby makes a plan and Joey obeys orders…_


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

"I told you this was a stupid idea," Charlie hissed bitterly.

Robbo had dragged her to some sort of warehouse, tied up and under threat. He'd left for fifteen minutes, getting up to goodness knew what. She had of course tried everything she could to escape but had failed. She was certain she was going to die here.

"Have some faith," Robbo replied.

He held a knife in one hand and a gun in the other as he paced the room, eager for Joey to arrive. He was utterly intent on the revenge he had been planning since the day he had been arrested for rape and attempted murder.

"Why the hell would she come here?" Charlie demanded. "If you wanted to hurt her, kidnap someone she gives a fuck about. Not me!"

Robbo laughed as he turned to look at her, sneering.

"Have you got self-esteem issues, sweetheart?" he asked nastily.

"No, I have a brain," Charlie snapped back. "I hurt her almost as badly as you did. She's not coming."

"That's a shame," he replied. "Because that means you're both going to die."

Charlie swallowed.

"Don't you think you've done enough to her?" she asked.

"Not even nearly," he confirmed.

* * *

Watson sat in the passenger seat of a patrol car while her colleague, Avery, sped out of town. With trembling fingers, Watson phoned Ruby who picked up immediately.

"Have you found her?" the teenager asked desperately.

"No but we've got a lead," the police officer replied. "Charlie's car has been spotted in Palm Bay at a service station."

"So you _have _found her?"

"She wasn't driving," Watson revealed. "It was an unshaven man but we don't have more of a description than that. The local police there are sending CCTV footage through to see if we can make an ID but I'm heading to the town myself to try and find her."

"Who do you think might have taken her?" Ruby was desperate to know.

"Honestly, I have no idea," Watson said. "But sit tight. Give me time."

* * *

Brax was frantic. He'd been charging around Summer Bay for hours, trying to figure out who had taken his precious Charlie. Now, he had discovered that Jake, the leader of a rival gang and brother of the man Charlie had killed during an abduction, was out of jail. It was thanks to Hayley, the lawyer who had tricked Brax into sleeping with her.

He'd done it because Charlie had dumped him and he'd wanted to make her jealous. He had even succeeded and the impossible had been about to happen. He, Charlie, Ruby and Casey were all set to move away and start a new life together. But now Charlie was missing and Brax was certain that he knew who had taken her.

Arriving at Jake's house, Brax was relieved to spot him letting himself in. Breaking into a run, he approached, shoving his enemy face first into the door.

"You'd better tell me where Charlie is right now," he warned.

* * *

"I can't just sit around and wait," Ruby fretted.

She'd been hanging round the house ever since Charlie had first disappeared but every second was eating her up inside. Her mother was missing. She should be doing more to help save her. Staying at home looked like she didn't care.

"What else can we do, Ruby?" Casey asked.

He had tried to phone Brax several times but his brother had not taken his calls. He dreaded to think where he was or what he was doing.

"Let's go to Palm Bay," Ruby decided.

"And how exactly do you expect to do that?" her boyfriend asked. "It's hours away."

Ruby immediately phoned Xavier.

* * *

Every minute felt like an hour to Charlie as she sat on the dusty floor, handcuffed and tied to an old work bench. Robbo continued to pace.

"You're the worst kidnapper ever," she remarked. "Who on earth would abduct someone that nobody would miss?"

She and Robbo both jumped when the door opened. Standing at the entrance to the warehouse was Joey.

* * *

_Next time… Ruby and Casey enlist Xavier's help, Brax and the police try to find Charlie and Joey and Robbo start their showdown…_


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

_I should have called the police_, Joey fretted. _I'm not strong enough to face him. It's too much. _She trembled as her eyes adjusted to the gloom, reminding herself that Charlie might be dead now if she hadn't tried to be brave. Robbo stood in front of her, looking as frightening as he always had. She could just about make Charlie out on the floor in the shadows, bound and quiet. She couldn't tell if she was injured or not but she certainly wouldn't trust him not to hurt her.

"Alright, I'm here," she said, sounding braver than she felt. "What do you want from me?"

"I want to kill you," Robbo replied as if he were commenting on the weather.

"Fine," Joey replied, her voice trembling just a little. "So, you don't need Charlie, do you? You can let her go."

"What, to get the cops and arrest my arse?" Robbo sneered. "I've learnt how to do things properly now, Joey. I've been inside for years planning this."

"You know, I hear some people in jail try to better themselves, become good people," Joey remarked.

He lurched closer and grabbed her roughly by her upper arms.

"Well, I didn't," he told her.

* * *

Brax finally called Casey back. He'd beaten the hell out of Jake, only to learn that he had gone over to the house with the full intention of shooting Charlie in cold blood. He'd wanted to murder her, to take away the person that Brax loved most in the world. But he'd been too late. She hadn't been there and she'd looked like she'd left in a hurry.

"Any news?" Brax barked, marching back to his car and wiping his fists on his jeans.

"We're on our way to Palm Bay," Casey told him.

"Palm Bay?" Brax asked, climbing into his car. "Why?"

"The cops called and said there's been a sighting of Charlie's car," Casey explained.

"Wait, how the hell are you getting there?"

* * *

Xavier focussed on the road ahead of them. He was not entirely sure they were being very sensible by charging across the coast to try and rescue Charlie – three teenagers without much ability to look after themselves. But Ruby had sounded so frightened and so desperate. There was no way he could live with himself if he'd let her down. He and Ruby had been through a hell of a lot together over the years and he had always thought the world of Charlie. He had to do his best for them.

* * *

Charlie fought violently with her restraints. She swore as she watched Robbo battle with Joey. At least Joey was holding her own and giving as good as she got.

"Would you just…?" Robbo growled.

He'd thought restraining Joey would have been easier than that. He hadn't reckoned on her being able to stand up to him.

"I'll stop fighting if you let Charlie go," Joey told him.

He reached for her again. She aimed a crafty kick between his legs. He went pale and collapsed on the ground. Joey raced over to Charlie, skidding on her knees and not even feeling the pain. With trembling hands, she tried desperately to free her ex-girlfriend. Robbo grabbed her from behind. She should have known it wouldn't be that easy.

* * *

Brax sped all the way out of town, desperate to get to Charlie before anything bad happened to her. He had never been a particularly romantic person but Charlie was the love of his life. He worshipped her and all he wanted was to keep her safe and happy. It was a relief that at least Jake wasn't responsible but that didn't rule out any of the other enemies he had collected over the years. They were so close to escaping their lives. He would hate for his past to come and haunt the woman he loved.

* * *

"Ruby, what are you expecting to do when we get there?" Casey asked from the backseat of the Mad Max car that Xavier treasured so much.

"Find my mother," Ruby replied, not breaking her gaze from the road ahead.

"How?" Casey asked. "We don't even know who's taken her."

"Well, I'm betting it's got something to do with your River Boys," she snapped without really meaning to.

"Ruby, you don't know that," Casey said a little defensively.

Now was the time to be pulling together to try and save Charlie, not fight amongst themselves.

"Let's not argue about it," Xavier said, as if reading Casey's mind. "We've got to work together now."

Ruby nodded and apologised. Her heart continued to pound in her chest as she panicked over what had happened to the woman she had never called 'Mum'.

* * *

"Okay, well, at least we know where we're going now," Watson said, leaping up, ready to get in the car and go.

She had been in Palm Bay for an hour but had only just found her first lead. The CCTV footage had revealed that the driver of Charlie's car was Robert Cruze, recently released from prison for the rape and attempted murder of two women – his ex-girlfriend, Tanya and his former colleague, Joey Collins – who just happened to have set up home in this very town.

"So, we're going to a restaurant on a boat?" Avery asked, hopping into the passenger seat.

He was barely strapped in before Watson accelerated.

"Yep," Watson said. "And we're hoping Joey's a workaholic because it's clearly after hours now."

She gripped the steering wheel tightly, just hoping for some sort of clue.

* * *

_Next time… it's a race against time from Brax, the police and the teenagers as a battle between Robbo, Joey and Charlie takes place…_


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Robbo dragged Joey back by her hair. She winced as she struggled to get to her feet and regain even just a little control of the situation. Swinging her round, Robbo slammed her into the bench. She felt like her back had broken with the searing pain tearing through her body. He then slammed her against the wall by her throat. She hit her head and willed herself just to pass out. She had wanted to save Charlie and she had tried but perhaps it wasn't to be. She froze when, still holding her by her throat with one hand, Robbo unzipped his fly and suggested they got reacquainted.

In the corner, Charlie fought as hard as possible with her restraints. There was no way she was going to let Joey be hurt again. She'd rather die than let that happen and would never forgive herself if it was her fault.

* * *

"Fuck," Watson cursed when she and Avery found The Deck closed up.

She rattled the door and peered inside.

"It looks like someone left in a hurry," she remarked. "There's a bag on the side and some sort of paper on the floor. Plus, it isn't double locked."

She rattled the doors for emphasis.

"So, do you think she had an invitation from an old friend?" Avery asked.

"I hope she didn't," Watson replied.

* * *

"No!" Joey begged, fighting against Robbo as he tried to free himself from his jeans.

"I want to show you how much I've missed you," he told her. "Then I'm going to do the same to your girlfriend. And then I'm going to kill you both."

Tears crept from Joey's eyes. He had her by the throat with her feet not quite touching the floor. Choking, she struggled against him, wishing that he would just kill her. There was no way she could live through his sexual brutality again.

"Haven't you missed me?" he asked, finally releasing himself.

He was already pumped with excitement and adrenaline. The night was turning out better than he had even expected.

Joey thrust her knee out, aiming at his crotch and wondering how many times she could get away with the same move. He dropped her as he clutched at himself, wincing in pain, although evidently not as much as before.. She landed on her feet and looked caught between the door and Charlie. Who was she supposed to save? Herself or the woman who had broken her heart?

* * *

Brax arrived in town far quicker than was legal but now he was here, he had no idea where to go. He had no idea where to start looking for the woman he loved.

"Come on," he said to himself. "It's the smallest town on the planet. How hard can it be? And how fucking stupid is this guy?"

He looked around, scanning the few people who seemed to be milling around, enjoying their Friday night. He hit the steering wheel and plotted his next move.

* * *

"Go!" Charlie yelled desperately at Joey.

Robbo was on the floor, his head spinning as he fought with dizziness in order to win this fight once and for all.

Trembling, Joey looked back at the door and then darted towards Charlie. Once again she tried to free her from the handcuffs.

"Joey, go," Charlie begged, tears in her eyes.

Joey shook her head and fought with the steel that wouldn't break. Robbo still had the key.

"Joey…" Charlie said desperately.

They locked eyes. Joey kept fighting.

* * *

"What exactly are we meant to do when we get there?" Casey asked, still agitated.

"Find Charlie," Ruby snapped.

His negativity was annoying her but her adrenaline drove her on. There was no way that she and Charlie were going to have gone through everything they had, only for things to end badly. There was no way Ruby was prepared to lose her.

* * *

"Joey!" Charlie yelled.

She was too late. Robbo had recovered and grabbed Joey again, dragging her across the floor and slamming her mercilessly on the ground. Joey's head swam as it made contact with the cement floor. She fought to keep consciousness. She was determined that she and Charlie were both going to survive.

From her corner, Charlie saw Robbo take something from his pocket. It glistened in the dim light. It was a knife. And it was intended for Joey. With the adrenaline that made mothers lift cars to protect their children, Charlie broke free. She took the bench leg with her and remained cuffed but she could stand and run, which was exactly what she did.

She threw herself at Robbo, knocking him to the ground. She would kill him if she had to. But she was already too late. Joey already had the knife in her abdomen.

* * *

_Next time… two people's lives hang in the balance…_


	9. Chapter 9

_For The One They Warned You About. Love, IJKS xxx_

**Chapter Nine**

Watson and Avery burst into the warehouse, guns poised. There was no time to waste and without Robbo making any demands, they had opted against negotiation. Cases were even worse when they involved one of their own and the last thing either of them wanted was to lose Charlie.

"Charlie!" Watson cried, lowering her gun and hurrying forward.

Robbo was unconscious on the ground, bleeding from a head wound. Charlie was desperately tending to a woman, also unconscious.

Outside, Brax could stand it no longer. He had run into the cops on their way and they had demanded he stay outside. Hearing Watson call his girlfriend's name, he leapt up and hurtled into the warehouse. He stopped short when he found Charlie, mostly unhurt, leaning over a woman's body. She'd taken her shirt off and knelt in trousers and a bra, pressing what had once been a blue top to the woman's stomach. She was weeping.

"Charlie?" he said, moving to kneel beside her while Watson shouted down the phone that they need two ambulances immediately.

Charlie didn't even acknowledge him as she cried and continued to try and stem the bleeding.

"Joey," she said desperately. "Joey, please… Please hold on. You're going to be okay. You're…"

Tears took over but she shoved her boyfriend away when he tried to comfort her.

"Joey…" she said again.

Brax sat back, recognising the name. Charlie had told him several months ago now that once upon a time, she had been in love with a woman called Joey. Looking at her deathly pale face, he could just about connect her to the photos she had shown him.

* * *

Ten minutes later, both Robbo and Joey were being stretchered into ambulances. Brax had given Charlie a jacket from his car, which she had accepted but still seemed too numb to talk to anyone. Watson had phoned Ruby to let her know what had happened and the plan was for everyone to reconvene at the hospital.

"Charlie, you should get checked out too," Watson said worriedly.

Still tearful, Charlie shook her head.

"I'm fine," she said. "Just some cuts and bruises. Most of the blood is Joey's. It's not mine."

She wiped her eyes, smearing more blood on her face.

"We're going to the hospital anyway," Brax put in. "You could…"

But Charlie didn't seem to be hearing him.

"Let's take you over there, okay, Charlie?" Watson said kindly.

"I'll take her," Brax said, feeling suddenly possessive.

"What would you prefer?" Watson asked her colleague.

Charlie just shrugged. Acting decisively, Watson guided her towards the patrol car. Brax's anger flared as the police took his girlfriend away.

* * *

Ruby, Casey and Xavier arrived at the hospital in a hurry. Spotting Brax, Avery and Watson up ahead, Ruby bounded forward.

"Where's Charlie?" she asked desperately.

"She's just being seen by the Doctor but she's fine," Watson assured her.

"What happened?" Casey wanted to know.

He looked at his brother who had sunk into a chair with his head in his hands. He rubbed his temples and looked a mess. Casey came to sit beside him.

"Are you okay, Brax?"

"I have no idea," the eldest Braxton admitted.

Less than an hour ago, his one concern had been the safety of his girlfriend. Now he was furious with her. It was like she had looked through him. The only person in the world that she'd cared about was Joey. He had no idea how he was supposed to feel about that.

"Can I see her?" Ruby asked eagerly. "What happened? Who took her? What happened to _them_?"

She couldn't control her questions.

"I'm sure when she's finished with the Doctor, you can see her," Watson said, tackling each question one by one. "It looks like Robbo Cruze abducted her. He's currently unconscious and he looks like he might stay that way for a while."

"Robbo?" Ruby said, aghast and stunned in equal measure.

Watson nodded.

"Why? What…?"

She was lost for words.

"We haven't managed interviews yet, mostly because only one person of the three is conscious," Watson began.

"Three?" Ruby interrupted.

"Joey Collins is in surgery now," Watson explained. "It's touch and go."

"But she won't die?" Ruby managed quietly.

Casey wanted to ask who Joey was but he daren't. Xavier hovered anxiously, away from the group. He had only been the driver, after all. And at the mention of Joey's name with Brax around, the last thing he wanted was to get caught in some kind of crossfire.

"I honestly don't know," Watson replied sadly. "She's been stabbed. They rushed in as an emergency. This whole thing… it's just a mess."

* * *

_Next time… Brax wants answers…_


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

"Where's Joey?" Charlie asked as soon as Watson entered her side room. "What's happened to her?"

"She's still in surgery," Watson explained.

"Is she going to be okay?"

"I don't know, Charlie," Watson admitted.

She could hardly imagine the turmoil that her colleague must be going through – and not just because of the violence.

"But I've made sure they keep me posted so I'll let you know as soon as I hear anything, okay?"

Charlie nodded mutely. She rubbed her face and winced as she remembered her bruises. Watson perched on a chair.

"Charlie, what on earth happened today?" she said. "Because if you didn't want to do your shift, there were much less drastic ways to go about it!"

Charlie laughed. Watson was relieved.

"I was all set to head to work," Charlie explained. "And the next thing I knew, Robbo was standing there. He grabbed me, drove me out here… beat me up a bit. He wanted Joey."

Watson nodded sadly.

"As if he hasn't done enough to her," she remarked.

Charlie swallowed. A lump ached in her throat.

"Of all the ways I hoped I might see her again, this was definitely not it," she said sadly.

And now hadn't been the time either. For the duration of her relationship with Angelo, she had longed to be with Joey again. That had been a big part of why their relationship had never stood a chance of working. But slowly, through falling in love with Brax, she had for the most part, learnt to leave her ex-girlfriend behind. Or so she had thought. Just seeing her again, even in such circumstances, had brought all her old feelings back. She felt like she loved her more than ever now.

* * *

Brax hurried into the room as soon as he was permitted. He was deeply confused but desperate to see Charlie. She looked pale and weak in her hospital bed but he couldn't stop himself from rushing forward and hugging her. He apologised when she winced.

"Charlie, what on earth happened?" he wanted to know.

She sank back against the pillows and closed her eyes. She didn't want to talk about it anymore. All she wanted to know was that Joey was alright.

"It's a long story," she sighed.

"I've got time," he told her.

"But I don't have the energy," she said. "I'm sorry."

He studied her tired face and felt a mix of compassion and anxiety. He debated whether to confront her about Joey or not.

"Can you at least tell me who that guy was?" he asked, pulling up a chair.

"His name is Robbo Cruze," Charlie said.

He jolted.

"Sorry?"

"Robbo Cruze," Charlie said, alarmed by the way her boyfriend furrowed his brow. "Do you know him?"

"I used to," he said. "Once upon a time. He went to jail or something."

"He went to jail for raping two women," Charlie said coldly, as if it was his fault. "Not to mention nearly killing them. He should never have been let out in the fucking first place."

He was shocked by her anger, although he supposed it was justified.

"How did Joey get involved?" he asked.

She looked startled at the mention of her name.

"You said her name when you were weeping all over her," he said a little bitterly.

She glared at him.

"I was trying to save her life," she stated.

"And breaking your heart at the same time," he accused.

"What, and you weren't upset when Tegan died?" she snapped.

"Not as upset as you were," he replied.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" she asked.

"That's what I'm wondering."

* * *

_Next time… Charlie falls out with Brax but bonds with Ruby…_


	11. Chapter 11

_Sorry for the lack of update yesterday. I had a bit of a bad day. But I hope you enjoy the chapter. This one comes with lots of well wishes to Jensy25. Love, IJKS xxx_

**Chapter Eleven**

"Are you still in love with her?" Brax asked.

His tone was quiet but demanding as he sat in his chair, his elbows on his knees and his hands clasped together.

"How am I meant to answer that question?" Charlie replied.

"With the truth," he said, snapping a little.

"You know how I felt about Joey," she reminded him.

They had sat down and had that particular conversation a while ago. And she had been pleased that he had reacted a lot better than Angelo had done.

"And how do you feel now?" he asked.

"I don't know!" Charlie snapped.

She jumped when he stood up quickly. She was on edge after everything that had happened that day.

"You and I are supposed to be taking Ruby and Casey off for a whole new life, Charlie," Brax said. "And then I walk in to find you snivelling all over your ex."

"She'd been stabbed, Brax!" Charlie yelled, not caring about hospital etiquette. "She could have died! She might _still _die!"

"And if she lives?" Brax asked, his voice low and dangerous.

It reminded her of the side of him she had always been uncomfortable with.

"What about it?"

"Will you see it as some sort of chance to right your wrongs?" Brax asked. "Are you about to leave me for her? I know she's the one you've never been able to let go of."

Charlie sighed, wincing from her injuries.

"She'd never go anywhere near me again," she said.

His eyes blazed. She knew she had given the wrong answer.

"So if she did, you'd go for it?" he snapped, his voice caught between anger and hurt.

"That's not what I said!" she protested.

"Then why don't you tell me exactly what you mean?" he demanded.

"Brax…"

"I thought I was going to die from grief today, Charlie!" he yelled.

Her heart broke at the way his voice caught. He rubbed his eyes and began to pace the small room.

"The thought of losing you… I thought Jake had killed you or something!"

"Jake?" Charlie said, confused.

"He got let out of prison a few days ago thanks to Hayley," he explained. "I thought he'd come to find you, tried to kill you or something. I tore across the country trying to save your life and as soon as I knew you were safe I realised I might lose you anyway."

"You're not losing me," Charlie insisted. "Nothing's changed."

"I saw the way you were with her!" he protested.

"Brax…"

He gazed at her. She had no idea what to say.

"Look, it's been a long and shitty day," she said. "Let's just take a break. Breathe. Calm down. Be grateful that we're all still alive. We can deal with everything else tomorrow."

He nodded and took her hands, kissing each in turn.

"That's a good idea," he agreed. "The Doc said you're okay and you can be discharged. Let's get you out of here and you, me, Rubes, Casey and Xavier can all go home."

"I can't leave," Charlie said quickly.

He dropped her hands.

"The Doctor said it was fine," he said.

"I can't go until I know Joey's going to be okay," she told him.

He stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind him.

* * *

Charlie was resting in her room when Ruby knocked quietly on the door. The moment she saw Charlie, she rushed up to her and burst into tears. Charlie reached out and held her, stroking her hair and whispering assurances that everything was going to be okay.

"I thought I was going to lose you," Ruby sobbed.

Charlie stroked her face, brushing her tears gently away.

"I'm fine," she promised. "A bit battered and a bit bruised but I'm okay. I swear."

But Ruby continued to cry.

"Things have to change between us," she said. "They can't carry on the way they are."

Charlie looked panicked.

"I want you to be my Mum, Charlie," Ruby said.

The police officer couldn't stop smiling.

"I mean, I know that you _are _my Mum," Ruby said, sounding a little flustered. "But I want our relationship to be… more."

"What would you like?" Charlie asked, hoping she could deliver.

"When Casey, Xavier and I were driving over here today, I felt sick with fear," Ruby explained. "My heart was pounding and I just wanted to cry because of all the things that I might never get the chance to say."

She swallowed.

"I love you, Mum," she said sincerely.

Charlie felt like she wanted to cry.

"And we might not have the most conventional relationship in the world but I'm so happy you _are _my Mum. I see myself in you and I'm so happy because I think you're the most amazing person on the planet. I'm so proud of us."

Charlie smiled and squeezed her hand.

"I love you too, Ruby," she said. "And I can't even tell you how much it means to me to hear you say that. It's all I've ever wanted."

* * *

In the recovery room, Joey woke up with a start. She barely registered where she was and immediately panicked that she was under threat. She sank back against the mattress when she was sure that Robbo was nowhere inside.

"Charlie…" she managed. "Charlie!"

She hit the panic button.

* * *

_Next time… Charlie is relieved to be able to see Joey…_


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

"Charlie, Joey's woken up," Doctor Judy Soothers said when she entered the room.

Ruby was still with her mother, holding her hand and sitting beside her.

"She's been asking for you," the Doctor added.

Charlie sat up quickly.

"Can I go and see her?" she asked eagerly.

"Yes," Judy agreed.

Charlie leapt out of bed but her head swam so much that Ruby had to catch her.

"Slowly!" Judy protested. "Take things slowly!"

"Okay," Charlie agreed, waiting for the room to stop spinning.

Ruby helped Charlie out of the room and along the corridor where the Doctor directed her into Joey's room. Ruby opted to wait politely outside but caught Charlie hurrying up to Joey very quickly.

"Is she okay?" Casey asked, stepping up behind his girlfriend.

"Yeah, she's…"

Ruby sighed, feeling worried. She turned and hugged him.

"Where's Brax?" she wondered, noting that Xavier was the only one sitting and waiting now.

"He took off," Casey revealed unhappily.

Ruby frowned.

"Because of Joey?" she asked.

"Who _is _this Joey girl?" Casey asked, rather exasperated.

She chuckled affectionately at how bewildered he looked.

"Joey is Charlie's ex-girlfriend," she explained.

His eyes widened in shock.

"Are you serious?" he squeaked.

Ruby took his hand and led him back over to Xavier.

"It's not that big a deal," she said.

"Charlie's into girls and it's not that big a deal?" Casey asked incredulously.

"She says she's bi," Ruby told him. "And I think she's pretty much open to falling in love with a man or a woman. And she happened to fall in love with Brax. But once upon a time, she fell in love with Joey."

"When?"

"Nearly three years ago," Ruby said. "She was her first and only girlfriend and the whole thing was pretty brief but it was intense."

"As intense as her and Brax?" Casey asked.

"In a different kind of way," Ruby said.

"So, what happens now?" Casey wanted to know. "Brax was seriously pissed off when he left. Do you think that means Charlie and Joey are getting back together?"

"I have no idea," Ruby admitted. "I guess we'll have to wait and see."

* * *

In Joey's room, Charlie rushed to her side, desperate to gaze into the big, brown eyes she loved so much.

"Hey, you," she said quietly.

Joey smiled but it looked pained.

"Hey, you," she replied.

They fell into silence, gazing at each other. Neither quite knew what to say.

"I'm so sorry," Charlie eventually said.

"For what?" Joey asked.

Charlie gestured to the way her ex-girlfriend was lying in bed, hooked up to machines, stitched and bandaged.

"You didn't stab me," Joey said. "Did you?"

She raised her eyebrows in mock panic, making Charlie laugh. Instinctively, she caught hold of her hand.

"I'm so glad you're okay," she said. "I don't know what I would have done if you'd…"

Joey smiled weakly.

"He really has it in for me, doesn't he?" she remarked. "He was only out of jail for a day."

She sighed unhappily. Charlie saw the physical and emotional pain etched on her face.

"He should never have been let out in the first place," Charlie said bitterly.

"I'm sorry he dragged you into it all," Joey said sincerely. "The last person you probably wanted to see again was me."

Charlie was struck by her words.

"I've longed to see you again since the day you left," she told her.

Joey smiled weakly at her ex-girlfriend. She wanted to be polite and say she'd missed her but the words wouldn't come out. The truth was that she _had _missed her but that she'd hated every second of it. She hated that every day had been a fight to move on with her life.

"Well, um… sorry it's been through such difficult circumstances," she managed.

Charlie nodded.

"I'm sorry I didn't help you," she said. "I'm sorry you had to rescue me."

Joey smiled weakly. She was in a lot of pain.

"Well, I'm pretty sure I owe you," she cracked.

Charlie laughed softly, taking the time to take in her features. She looked older but in a wiser way rather than aged. Her hair was shorter but just as pretty and her eyes were desperately sad but still so soulful. The beauty in each of her features remained. She was slender with good muscle tone in her arms. To Charlie, she was perfect.

"Will you have someone to look after you when you get out of here?" she asked.

"Nah," Joey said dismissively. "I don't need anyone."

Charlie frowned.

"Joey, you got really badly hurt," she said. "You've had major surgery. You need…"

"I'll be fine, Charlie," Joey said, touching her hand firmly.

They both felt a thrill shoot through them.

"I'm good at taking caring of myself," Joey assured her.

Charlie looked uncertain but let it go.

"How have you been?" she asked. "Before this, obviously."

"Yeah, I've been okay," Joey said. "I've got my own business, I work hard… I'm happy."

"I'm glad," Charlie said sincerely.

Her heart ached with memories of the time that they had been happy with each other.

"What about you?" Joey said. "I mean, I presume you're dating someone."

"Why would you presume?" Charlie asked, her voice tight and a little defensive.

"Well, you've never been one to stay single for long," Joey remarked.

Charlie frowned, trying to figure out what her underlying accusation was.

"I'm seeing a guy called Brax," she admitted. "Darryl Braxton."

Joey looked shocked.

"I'm sorry," she said, wincing with exertion. "You're dating a River Boy? A criminal?"

"He's left the River Boys," Charlie said quickly, still feeling defensive. "He's reformed."

Joey didn't look convinced.

"How on earth did a cop and a River Boy get together?" she wondered.

Charlie shrugged awkwardly. It was quite the story, she supposed.

"Today was actually meant to be my last day," she admitted.

Joey jerked her head up to look at her and winced again. Charlie worried.

"You've left the police force?" the injured woman asked incredulously.

"Yes," Charlie replied.

"Why? What on earth would make you do that?" Joey wondered. "You love being a cop. It was your vocation. It…"

She trailed off, stunned. Charlie shifted uncomfortably. She didn't want to analyse how much she had given up to be with Brax. And she didn't want to admit how much it hurt.

"Well, he left his way of life so I had to leave mine," she said.

Joey just stared at her.

"He left being a _criminal_, Charlie," she stated. "And you've left what, helping people? Saving lives? Stopping people like _him_?"

She shook her head, more than a little disgusted. Charlie swallowed unhappily and tried to defend her decision. No words came out.

"Well, in that case, I'm really glad we broke up when we did," Joey said.

Charlie looked wounded. She understood _why _Joey had ended their relationship but she had never expected to hear that either of them were happy about it. _She _certainly wasn't, no matter how much she loved Brax.

"Well, you didn't even love me enough to stay faithful for one night," Joey explained. "I'd never have stood a chance once you'd met a man you loved so much you'd give up your sole purpose in life."

Charlie swallowed.

"I loved you," she said softly.

Joey shrugged but then cried out in pain. It was going to take a lot to recover from her injuries.

"I loved you so much I would have died for you tonight," Charlie added.

Joey turned to look at her, surprised. They met each other's gaze and held it for a long time.

* * *

With the radio so loud he couldn't hear anything else around him, Brax stormed home in his car. His head was a mess, so full of confusion and hurt. The feelings Charlie still so obviously had for Joey hurt beyond the telling of it. She hadn't even wanted to talk about them and the new life he was still hoping they would have. All she cared about was Joey. Who cared if she died? She was Charlie's ex. That meant she was meant to be in the past. It meant that was where she was supposed to stay.

He hit the steering wheel in anger and was glad he ran his own restaurant. It contained all the booze he would need.

* * *

"Is… is there anyone you'd like me to call for you?" Charlie asked, tentatively breaking the silence.

"Um… yes, please," Joey said.

She tried to reach for her trousers, politely folded up by a member of staff. Charlie saw the pain she was in and brought the trousers to her. Thanking her, Joey dug around in the pocket for her phone.

"Could you call Fiona, please?" Joey asked.

Mobile phones weren't allowed in the hospital and there was no chance of Joey getting out.

"Sure," Charlie said, accepting the phone Joey handed her. "And who is…?"

She had a sudden and irrational fear that she was a girlfriend. As if she had any right to be jealous. She'd dated no less than two people since Joey had walked out on her.

"She's my employee," Joey explained. "She'll need to open up the restaurant in the morning. I doubt I'll be released for a bit."

Charlie nodded.

"I'll be right back," she promised, heading out of the room.

Joey sank back against the pillows and closed her eyes. She was in so much pain. And her head was so confused. There was a reason she hadn't come home, a reason why she had ensured she would never see Charlie again. And it was because she was her Achilles' heel. That was why she had come storming in to save her from Robbo. And that was why, lying here now, all her old feelings – good and bad – had come charging back.

* * *

_Next time… Charlie and Joey receive news of Robbo, Brax seeks solace where he shouldn't and Ruby wants to know what Charlie's really feeling…_


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

It had been an exceptionally long night. Charlie had phoned Joey's employee who had been very worried but agreed to run the restaurant in her boss's absence. Charlie had then been taken aside to give a statement about what had happened to her. She was upset that Brax had stormed home completely but was almost relieved at the same time. She was annoyed that he was so focussed on who Joey was rather than the terrible thing that had happened to her and she felt entirely justified in wanting to make sure she was okay.

"I really don't fancy going home tonight," Charlie admitted tiredly when she found Ruby in the waiting room. "Would you be up for a hotel?"

"Sure," Ruby agreed.

She felt that she and her mother had an awful lot to talk about and discussing sensitive matters in the back of a car with Xavier and Casey in the front was not appealing.

"Will you guys be okay to get back?" she asked, turning to her boyfriend and her friend.

"Yeah, sure," Casey said, trying not to feel pushed out. "I should go back and check on Brax anyway."

He still couldn't quite figure out what had gone on tonight. Ruby kissed him goodbye and he headed out of the hospital.

"Should we say goodbye to Joey?" Ruby asked.

Charlie smiled nervously and nodded.

"Yes," she decided.

Together, they headed into her room where she was still hooked up to various machines.

"Hi, Ruby!" Joey greeted enthusiastically.

Ruby hesitantly moved forward and hugged her.

"It's good to see you again," she said. "Despite the circumstances."

"We're um… booking into a hotel for the night," Charlie ventured. "Maybe we could… come and see you in the morning?"

The hope in her voice was there for all to hear.

"That would be nice," Joey accepted.

She wasn't likely to have all that many visitors and the nurse had said she would be in there for days.

"Great," Charlie enthused.

She awkwardly hugged her ex-girlfriend goodbye. Ruby noticed that they both seemed to hold on a little too long. They parted only when Watson entered the room, looking unhappy.

"Sorry," she said, fretting over her interruption.

"What's wrong?" Charlie asked, noting the concern on her face.

"I just got word from the Doctor," Watson revealed. "Robbo's dead."

* * *

Brax was drunk and in a terrible mood. He was stumbling around the restaurant, considering locking up and trying to find his way home when someone walked in looking about as rough as he felt.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he snarled.

It was Hayley, the lawyer he had been duped into hiring when Casey had been in court for arson. It had turned out that she had been working for his mortal enemy, Jake, all along and that was the reason Jake was out of jail.

"I was looking for Heath," she said.

Her eyes were bloodshot and she definitely looked like she was dealing with more than the effects of alcohol.

"Well, you found me," he replied.

She looked him up and down.

"And what am I meant to do with you?" she asked.

"Don't you remember?"

He pulled her in for a clumsy kiss.

* * *

"Are you okay, Joey?" Charlie asked, tenderly touching her hand.

Joey nodded, looking at the way Charlie touched her. She felt terrible for it but she was relieved. _Perhaps now he's gone the nightmare is over_, she thought to herself.

"Relieved," she admitted. "Glad."

She looked at the three faces surrounding her for some sort of criticism but they all seemed to understand.

"Me too," Charlie sighed, still holding onto Joey.

She smiled sadly at Joey who had the same burdened expression in her eyes. If either of them had guessed what this particular night would bring, this wouldn't even be close. Charlie knew she would have to endure further questioning to ensure that her killing of Robbo had been lawful but she was confident that nobody would blame her in that particular situation.

"Well, we should leave you to rest," she said, although she didn't particularly want to part Joey's company. "But we'll come by and see you tomorrow."

Joey nodded and thanked her. They held onto each other for as long as they could get away with before Charlie parted the room with Ruby and Watson.

* * *

Ruby waited patiently until they were settled in their twin room before she began her interrogation.

"So?" she said. "What the deal?"

Charlie flopped tiredly onto her bed.

"What's the deal with what?" she asked, trying to sound innocent.

"Joey!" Ruby squeaked, bouncing onto the same bed.

Startled, Charlie sat up.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Well… it seems like a stupid question to ask if you're still in love with her," Ruby ventured.

"I've always loved her," Charlie admitted.

"Are you still _in _love with her though?" Ruby pressed.

"If you'd have asked me yesterday, I would have tried really hard to say no and I might even have believed it," Charlie sighed. "But yes, I feel as strongly about her as I did three years ago."

Ruby nodded.

"And what does that mean for you and Brax?"

"It means nothing," Charlie said. "I never thought it was possible to be in love with two people at the same time but what do you know? It is. I am."

"So who do you want to be with?"

"Joey would never even consider being with me again," Charlie said. "Of course I'm staying with Brax. You, me, him and Casey have a plan, don't we?"

Ruby frowned and studied her mother's face.

"You didn't actually answer the question," she pointed out.

"I did!" Charlie protested.

Ruby merely shook her head.

"I don't know, okay?" Charlie said tiredly, lying back against the pillows. "Yesterday, all I wanted was for the four of us to get away together and be a family. But now…"

"Now?"

"Now I feel like my whole life has changed."

"Is that why Brax stormed off?" Ruby asked.

"He saw the connection that Joey and I still have and he couldn't hack it," Charlie explained. "But we'll go back home tomorrow and sort it out."

"So Brax _is _the person you want to be with?" Ruby probed.

"I love them both the exact same amount in very different ways," Charlie said. "I want to be with both of them. But only one of them will have me."

"Is that fair to Brax?" Ruby wondered.

"I'm not saying I'd leave him for Joey if I had the chance," Charlie protested.

She sighed heavily.

"Oh, I don't know what I'm saying," she said, sounding utterly miserable. "I love them both."

* * *

_Next time… Charlie and Ruby visit Joey and Brax is caught out…_


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

"Can we come and visit sometime?" Ruby asked eagerly. "See your restaurant?"

From her hospital bed, Joey smiled and nodded. The two Buckton girls had eagerly come to visit her, as promised, the following morning before they headed back to Summer Bay.

"That would be great," she said.

Charlie smiled but shifted awkwardly in her chair. She was not entirely sure where she stood with Joey and she didn't want to hope too much that maybe she was forgiven. She doubted it would be as easy as that.

"Yay!" Ruby enthused. "You always were a great cook. That fishy soupy thing is still the best thing I've ever eaten."

Joey beamed at her. Charlie was amused by the way she blushed.

"Well, the fishy soupy thing is on the menu so maybe when you come down you can order it," Joey said. "On the house, of course."

Ruby continued to display excitement.

"So, tell me what I've missed," Joey requested. "How have you been, Rubes?"

"Yeah, I've been good," Ruby said. "I've finished school now and I'm heading to Uni in the New Year."

She glanced at Charlie, wondering if the plan had changed.

"Aren't I?"

"Of course," Charlie said.

She just wasn't entirely sure if she wanted to go with her. Or if Brax would either. She had no idea where her life stood anymore.

"And I'm dating an amazing boy called Casey Braxton," Ruby said. "We've been together nearly a year now and he's so hot. And so sweet. Isn't he, Charlie?"

"He's a nice boy," Charlie agreed.

And she had to admit that it was nice to see her daughter so happy and in love.

"Braxton," Joey mused. "Is he related to your boyfriend, Charlie?"

Both Buckton women froze.

"It's okay," Joey chuckled. "I think I'm over it by now. We were together what, three years ago?"

"Two years and seven months," Charlie said.

Then she cringed. Joey gave her a curious look but said nothing.

"Yes, he's Brax's brother," Ruby explained. "Younger. Obviously."

"Obviously," Joey grinned.

* * *

The visit passed with continuous rambles about nothing particularly important but it was nice for the three of them to get the chance to spend time together.

"Well, we'd better be heading back, if the police are willing to give me back my car," Charlie said.

With it being held in evidence, getting it back could take quite the debate.

"Yeah," Joey said. "It was… it was nice to see you."

Ruby leant down and hugged her, saying goodbye and promising to come and see her soon.

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" Charlie asked worriedly, standing up.

"Hospital food isn't _that _bad," Joey joked.

Charlie chuckled but wouldn't let the point go.

"It's going to be hard for you not to have anyone to look after you," she fretted. "You're going to be in pain and normal tasks aren't going to be that easy."

"I'll cope," Joey said. "I always cope."

She plastered a smile on her face and Charlie returned it but both women looked sad.

"Well, I guess I'll see you soon then," Charlie said.

She leant forward and hugged her. Both of them held on just that little too long.

"Thank you for saving me," Charlie whispered.

"Thank you for saving me too," Joey replied.

They hugged for a few moments more before reluctantly pulling away.

* * *

Arriving back in Summer Bay, Charlie dropped Ruby back at home and headed over to the restaurant to find Brax. With Liam informing her that he hadn't come in, she drove over to his house instead. She knocked and entered. Considering they had been planning to run away and start a long term commitment, they had got past the need to knock and wait. It was strange sometimes to think that he now lived in the house she had briefly share with her ex, Angelo Rosetta.

"Brax?" she called, wondering what would greet her.

Not finding him in the lounge or the kitchen, she headed into his bedroom. She was startled to find him in bed with Hayley. Without speaking, she stormed right back out.

* * *

Back at the hospital, Joey was touched when Fiona used her break to come and visit her. She brought her some food from the restaurant and a big bar of chocolate.

"They said you can't bring flowers to hospitals anymore," Fiona explained. "But I thought you'd appreciate chocolate anyway."

Joey grinned and accepted it, immediately tearing the wrapper open. Fiona sat down on a chair and pulled it up close to the bed. She took her boss's hand.

"Jo, what happened to you?" she wondered.

Joey didn't know where to start.

* * *

Ruby was surprised when Charlie arrived home so quickly and watched her pause and shudder when she entered the living room she had been so abruptly snatched from the day before.

"Are you okay, Mum?" Ruby asked.

Despite the situation, Charlie smiled. She knew Ruby was just trying it out but so far, it seemed to be working.

"Brax is sleeping with Hayley again," Charlie informed her unhappily.

She flopped down on the couch as her daughter rushed to her side.

"What?" she squeaked. "No way. He wouldn't do that. Again."

She frowned, desperately hoping that Charlie was mistaken.

"I saw them together," Charlie revealed.

"Well, maybe you saw it wrong…"

"They were literally at it in his bed."

"Oh," Ruby said, utterly deflated.

She took Charlie's hand.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"I don't understand why he'd do this to me," Charlie said. "I mean, I know he was upset about the Joey thing but I'd have thought after everything we've been through, that he'd at least wait and talk it through with me. I thought we loved each other."

"Maybe… maybe he thought you were going to leave him for Joey," Ruby ventured. "Not that I'm sticking up for him but you said yourself last night that you were feeling very conflicted."

Charlie nodded.

"I would never ever have cheated though," she said unhappily. "Not after… well, you know."

"I know," Ruby said softly. "I know."

Charlie sighed heavily and allowed Ruby to hold her.

* * *

_Next time… Joey admits that she needs help…_


	15. Chapter 15

_Hi everyone. I'm back from a week of babysitting and I'm exhausted! But it was great to spend time with my nephew so thank you for your patience with my absence. Back for the foreseeable future now though. This chapter is short but hopefully sweet. I hope you enjoy it. Love, IJKS xxx_

**Chapter Fifteen**

"I'm sorry," Doctor Judy Soothers said, "but I am not letting you back out of this hospital unless you can promise me that someone will be there to look after you."

Joey sat back in her bed and grumbled to herself. She had only been out for two days before she had burst her stitches by exerting herself too much. Fiona had called an ambulance, she'd been rushed back in to be fixed up and now it looked like she would be stuck there for the foreseeable.

"Is there anyone who can take care of you?" Judy asked, softening her tone just a little.

"No," Joey said glumly. "I'm alone in the world."

She laughed a little bitterly and sighed heavily, leaning back against her pillow and closing her eyes.

"What about the girl who brought you in?" Judy asked.

"She's my number one employee," Joey said. "If she comes to look after me then my business will go bust."

Judy sighed.

"Well, what about those two girls that visited you the day after you were stabbed?" she said brightly, clutching at straws.

Joey just shook her head.

"Might it be worth calling them?" Judy persisted. "They seemed pretty worried about you."

"They're from a different life," Joey told her.

"Then they seem like perfect options," the Doctor replied. "Because if you don't mind me saying, your current life isn't great."

Joey exhaled bitterly and then winced.

"You should have seen my old one," she remarked.

Unable to bear being stuck in hospital, she knew she had no options left.

* * *

Charlie was lounging on the sofa watching television when her phone rang. She had broken up with Brax, although he seemed convinced they could still make it work 'so long as that Joey girl was out of the way'. Charlie hadn't really responded to him and the more she thought about it, the more she knew she wanted Joey to be directly in the way.

She had also made the decision to return to the police force. If she wasn't going skipping off into the distance with a reformed criminal, she was eager to hold onto her life in Summer Bay. Namely, she was eager to cling to her vocation. Joey's disgust and consternation over her life choices had really got to her and she knew that civilian life wasn't a path she wanted to go down after all.

She was grateful that the station had agreed to take her back, although will all her bad decision making, she had been demoted back down to Senior Constable and she knew it would take a lot to work to earn her stripes again.

"Hello?" she said, answering her phone, which seemed to be a random number.

"Charlie, it's me, Joey," came the voice on the other end of the line.

Charlie sat up straighter.

"Joey?" she said. "Are you okay?"

"Not exactly," Joey replied, sounding awkward.

Fear took over as Charlie internally fretted over what was wrong.

"I um… I popped my stiches and now the Doctor won't let me go home unless I have someone to keep an eye on me," she said.

Charlie heard someone clear their throat pointedly in the background.

"Okay, I need someone to actively help me," Joey sighed. "And I… well, I don't have anyone. So I was wondering if it would be possible to stay with you? I mean, you offered before. I understand if it's too much hassle and…"

Charlie cut her off.

"What's the earliest I can pick you up?" she interrupted.

She could almost hear Joey smile in relief at her end of the phone.

"Anytime from now," she said.

Charlie stood and shoved some shoes on her feet. She grabbed her keys and told Joey she was leaving right that second.

* * *

_Next time… Charlie takes her nursing duties seriously and Ruby and Casey break up…_


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

Joey and Charlie had both been nervous on the long drive back to Summer Bay and it didn't abate as they entered the house they'd created so many memories in.

"Um… well, you can have my room again and I'll go in with Ruby," the police officer said, taking Joey's bags into the house.

"Are you sure?" Joey asked, following her into the bedroom she knew so well. "I can sleep on the couch or…"

"No, no," Charlie insisted. "I'm here to look after you and that's what I'll do."

She placed Joey's things on the bed and then turned back to Joey who had accidentally stepped a little close. Their eyes locked. All Charlie wanted to do was lower her head and kiss her. But they were interrupted by Ruby's voice hollering through the house anyway. Joey jumped back and followed Charlie back out of the room.

"Hey, Mu…"

Ruby stopped abruptly when she realised they had company.

"Joey!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"I gave in and very reluctantly agreed I needed help," Joey explained.

"She wasn't allowed to leave the hospital again unless she had someone to go to," Charlie told her daughter, wanting to be precise.

"Again?" Ruby asked.

"I had to go back," Joey said vaguely.

"She popped all her stitches," Charlie added.

Ruby winced at the imagery.

"Yep," Joey joked. "It was exactly that painful!"

"So, I need to sleep in your room if that's okay?" Charlie said. "I've put Joey in my room."

"Sure," Ruby said. "It's not like I'm going to have anyone else in there."

She flopped glumly onto the couch. Charlie and Joey sat on either side of her.

"Has something happened?" Charlie asked, although the lack of bedroom activity for her daughter was a relief more than anything.

She didn't think she would ever forget the image of finding her and Casey going for it in the back of Xavier's car, way back at the beginning of their relationship.

"Casey and I broke up," Ruby said, her voice full of misery.

"How come?" Charlie asked, genuinely upset for her.

Ruby shrugged and didn't say anything.

"Rubes?"

"Because of you and Brax breaking up," she admitted, not wanting to upset her mother.

Charlie sighed. Joey didn't react.

"He says he can't be around me while Brax is so miserable, drinking himself into oblivion and stuff, missing you," Ruby said.

Charlie sighed again and put her arm around her.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't mean for my relationship to have an effect on yours. Honestly."

"I know that, Mum," Ruby assured her.

Charlie couldn't help but smile. She did it every time Ruby used that word to address her. Joey also smiled. She had been given a recap on what the situation was and she was pleased to see mother and daughter so close.

"It's not your fault," Ruby said. "And you and Brax can't stay together just to make us happy. I mean, unless you want to be with him?"

"I don't know what I want," Charlie admitted, feeling a little awkward in Joey's presence. "Everything got very complicated very quickly. I'm as lost as he is."

"You're just handling it better," Ruby remarked.

Charlie smiled, pleased with the compliment.

"How about the three of us head out for dinner tonight?" she suggested. "We can all get to know each other again."

"Sounds good to me," Ruby said. "Joey?"

"Sure," Joey agreed, pleased to be included.

She still felt awkward to have to rely on Charlie again after everything that had happened – the good, the bad and the ugly.

* * *

That night, over dinner, Charlie and Joey were thoroughly enjoying spending time together. Ruby was interested to silently note that the chemistry was still there. She caught it in the way they looked at each other and the gentle way they interacted. The whole thing confused her but if nearly losing Charlie had taught her anything, it was that she had to be supportive of whatever she chose for her life – whether that be Brax or Joey or neither of them. She just hoped she didn't attempt to live in both worlds again.

"So, you can go back to the police?" Joey asked, pleased to hear the news.

"Yeah," Charlie said. "Once I'm off sick leave and I've taken necessary holiday, I'll be back. But I'll just be a Senior Constable again. I'll have to earn my way back up to Sergeant."

"Necessary holiday?" Ruby wondered.

"Well, I'm nearly back to health myself," Charlie explained. "But I need to be around to look after Joey so I'm going to take some extra time off."

"Oh, Charlie, you don't have to do that," Joey said. "Judy was happy with me coming here. You don't actually have to do all the stuff she said. She just worries."

"But I _want _to do everything she said," Charlie said. "I want to look after you. If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have been injured in the first place."

"If it wasn't for Robbo, I wouldn't have been injured in the first place," Joey corrected. "You were the victim in all of this."

Charlie shrugged awkwardly.

"Well, I still want to take care of you," she said firmly. "And that means taking time off."

Ruby chuckled as Joey shyly accepted the care she was being given. She suddenly had a sure feeling over exactly who Charlie wanted to be with.

* * *

_Next time… Charlie and Joey enjoy spending time together…_


	17. Chapter 17

_I'm afraid this is the calm before another storm! Enjoy! Love, IJKS xxx_

**Chapter Seventeen**

The next morning, Joey woke and was considering getting up when there was a polite knock on the door. Charlie had put her in her room and, just like in the old days, she had slept in with Ruby.

"Come in," Joey called, wincing as she attempted to sit up in bed.

Charlie appeared with a breakfast tray, which she quickly put down in a bid to help Joey get comfortable.

"Thanks," the restaurant owner said a little shyly.

Charlie brought over the tray.

"You really didn't need to bring me breakfast in bed," Joey said, although she did look rather hungrily at the food.

"Well, I just wanted to… you know," Charlie said, suddenly embarrassed. "I wanted to look after you properly."

"You've been amazing," Joey said, sipping her orange juice. "Thank you."

Charlie smiled and then offered to leave her to it.

"I'd rather you helped me with this," Joey requested. "You've made enough to feed an army!"

Charlie apologised again. Joey patted the other side of the bed and she cautiously came to perch on it, gently tucking into a slice of toast.

"Thank you for looking after me, Charlie," Joey said sincerely. "I really appreciate it."

Charlie smiled.

"You're welcome," she said. "I'm happy to be able to help you."

They gazed at each other. Charlie wanted to add that she loved her but she was too afraid of ruining everything. She was too afraid of being rejected.

* * *

A short while later, Joey stood in the middle of the room she had once called her own and frowned. She had packed badly and the only tops she'd bought were not going to cooperate with her stitches, as far as putting them on went. It had been easy to change in and out of shirts but foolishly, she had only brought t-shirts, which meant stretching over her head. And the more she tried, the more painful it was and the more it threatened to pop her stitches. Again.

Hearing a noise outside the room, Joey opened the door a crack and poked her head out. She was relieved to see Charlie walking past, evidently on the way to the bathroom.

"Sorry, Charlie, please could you help me?"

"Sure," Charlie agreed readily. "What's up?"

Joey opened the door wider, embarrassed just to be in jeans and a bra. She held the t-shirt out in her hand. Charlie forced herself not to look at the body she had always appreciated.

"I can get my arms up but manoeuvrability is pretty awkward," Joey said shyly.

Charlie stepped forward and helped her into her clothes.

"There," she said. "Anything else you need?"

"No," Joey said. "Thank you. But um… I wondered if you fancied taking a walk later?"

"Sure!" Charlie agreed eagerly.

Then she flushed, embarrassed that she wasn't hiding how desperate she was to spend time with her ex. Her head was a world of confusion still. On the one hand, she had been desperately in love with Brax for almost a year. She had been prepared to give up everything for him. And on the other, she had always known that Joey would always be the love of her life. She had just never thought that she'd ever see her again. She loved them both, something she had never imagined possible, and not just because they couldn't be more opposite to each other if they tried.

"Great," Joey said, smiling. "I'd love to get back down to the beach and stuff. I mean, I know I'm on water every day of my life but…"

"I know how much you love it," Charlie confirmed. "Maybe we could even get a bit of lunch or something?"

"That sounds great," Joey agreed.

* * *

An hour later, Charlie and Joey were strolling along the sand. It took every ounce of willpower for Joey not to throw herself in the sea but she could picture Judy frowning at her and telling her she was in trouble.

"What's that place over there?" Joey wondered, pointing to Angelo's and prompting Charlie to frown.

"That's a restaurant that opened last year," she explained.

"Is it nice?" Joey asked.

"Yeah, um… It's probably best we don't go there."

"How come?"

"Brax owns it," Charlie told her.

"Oh."

Charlie nodded, grimacing a little.

"How are things between the two of you?" Joey wondered. "You haven't really mentioned him since you came to pick me up."

Charlie exhaled and sat down on the sand. Joey perched beside her.

"Well, like Ruby said yesterday, we broke up," she said.

"I'm sorry," Joey replied. "I hope it wasn't my fault."

"None of this has been your fault, Joey," Charlie said emphatically, touching her hand.

They felt a familiar thrill rush through them and smiled shyly at each other until they drew away.

"So, what happened?" Joey wondered quietly.

"He was upset about what happened," Charlie explained, gazing out to sea. "He saw how afraid I was when you were stabbed and then I wanted to wait to see you and not go straight back to Summer Bay with him. I guess he saw…"

She stopped.

"Saw?" Joey prompted.

"He saw that my feelings for you will never completely go away," Charlie admitted.

She closed her eyes in fear of rejection but it didn't come.

"So, he's upset with you?" Joey asked, dodging the more emotional issue at hand.

"He was," Charlie sighed. "So he went and slept with some woman behind my back."

She swallowed. Her ex-boyfriend's actions still hurt, although it seemed vastly inappropriate to complain to Joey of all people that he had cheated on her.

"I'm sorry, Charlie," Joey said gently.

She caught hold of her hand again and they sat in peaceful silence.

"I guess it wasn't meant to be," Charlie said. "I'm glad I found out now instead of months down the line when I'd already given up everything for him, relocated, changed my whole life…"

Joey nodded.

"Is that why you got your job back?" she asked. "Because you broke up with Brax?"

"Partly," Charlie said. "But it was you that gave me the push to do it really."

Joey eyed her quizzically.

"Me?"

"You were so horrified by me giving up my career," Charlie explained. "It made me realise how unhappy I was with the decision. I think I was blinded by love or whatever when I chose to leave the force and run away with him."

Joey smiled quietly to herself, glad that Charlie was back in her role as a police officer.

"I honestly can't imagine you as anything but a police officer, Charlie," she said sincerely. "It's your vocation."

"Well, thank you for putting me back on the right path," Charlie said. "And you know, for getting stabbed and everything in order to try and save my life. Especially when…"

"Nothing you could ever do would mean that I wouldn't want you to live, Charlie," Joey said. "Even if I had to die for it."

Charlie sighed heavily and looked at their joined hands.

"Well, I'm grateful," she said. "You saved me – in more ways that I could explain."

"Well, I owed you," Joey remarked.

She grinned at her.

"Call it even?" she suggested.

"Even," Charlie agreed.

* * *

_Next time… Charlie and Joey don't react well to going their separate ways…_


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

It had been a couple of days and Charlie was rather enjoying spending time with Joey and getting to look after her. It felt like the old days, except that Charlie was no longer afraid of her feelings. And except for the fact that Joey had displayed no signs of still being interested in her.

"Is everything okay?" she asked when she ducked back into her friend's hospital room.

She had taken her for an appointment to get her stitches checked.

"Yep," Joey said brightly, climbing off the bed and pulling her t-shirt back down.

She had been relieved when the Doctor hadn't needed her to take it off. Getting dressed and undressed was still a problem.

"I can get my stitches out tomorrow and then I get to go home," she said.

Charlie forced a smile. In reality, she was heartbroken at the thought of her leaving.

"Great," she attempted to enthuse. "That's great."

* * *

Charlie had been subdued for the rest of the afternoon and Joey had also seemed in a world of her own.

"Do you know when you'd like to go home?" Charlie asked, the question shooting out of her mouth rather bluntly.

Joey immediately assumed her ex-girlfriend was relieved to be rid of her. And it hurt because there had been snatched moments over the last few days where she had almost felt the same spark they'd once had.

"Um, my appointment is at ten tomorrow morning so any time after that," she said, looking at the television she wasn't actually watching.

"Okay, cool, well maybe Ruby and I could take you home after school," Charlie ventured, still upset to have to say goodbye. "She's pretty keen to eat at your restaurant."

She grinned but Joey wasn't looking.

"Fiona said she'd come and get me," she told her. "Save you a trip."

"I really don't mind," Charlie said. "I'm happy to…"

"You've done loads for me already," Joey said, finally meeting her gaze. "Don't worry about it."

Charlie sighed quietly and pretended to watch the TV. She had no idea how she was going to cope without her.

* * *

"Well, thank you for everything," Joey said awkwardly as she waited for Fiona to come and collect her and for Ruby to get back so that she could say goodbye to her too.

She had said her goodbye and thank you to Leah and VJ earlier in the day.

"It's no problem," Charlie said sincerely. "I've enjoyed spending time with you."

They smiled uncomfortably at each other.

"I've enjoyed spending time with you too," Joey said stiffly.

She was utterly confused about how things stood between them. For a while there, they had been really close but ever since she'd mentioned going home, things had been weird between them and Joey couldn't quite work out why.

"Maybe um… maybe Ruby and I could come and see you sometime?" Charlie suggested.

"Yeah," Joey agreed. "That would be good. I'll have the fishy soupy thing ready for when you get there."

The both laughed softly before awkwardly reached out to hold each other.

"Charlie…"

"Joey…"

They both spoke at the same time and laughed in the same way they had that day down on the docks when the same thing had happened. They were interrupted by Ruby arriving home.

"Joey?" she called.

She appeared in the doorway and smiled.

"Good," she said. "I didn't miss you."

"I would have waited," Joey assured her.

They were interrupted again by a tentative knock on the door.

"That'll be Fiona," Joey said, heading into the kitchen to answer the call.

A few moments later, Fiona, Joey's employee, appeared, ready to take her bags to the car. Charlie cringed as she found herself under scrutiny and wondered what this woman knew about her.

"Thank you for everything, Charlie," Joey said sincerely.

She felt sad and regretful and like she was missing something. She would never admit it to anyone but she'd had some hope for the week that perhaps she and Charlie might find their feelings reignited. But although Joey still found Charlie intoxicating, she doubted she felt the same way. And she couldn't help but be a little disappointed with that, even if she wasn't sure she could go with it anyway. Charlie had broken her heard repeatedly, after all, and it had taken a good long time to build herself back up again.

"It was my pleasure," Charlie said, hugging her again.

They both held tight but released each other quickly. Charlie stepped back as Joey and Ruby said goodbye and then followed to the door. Joey waved as Fiona took her bag out and Charlie and Ruby waved back until she was gone.

"So, why exactly is she leaving?" Ruby asked.

"Because she got her stitches out," Charlie replied, her face blank.

"And why is she leaving without knowing that you're still in love with her?"

"Because she doesn't love me back."

* * *

"So, there's some history between you guys, right?" Fiona asked as she drove Joey out of Summer Bay and back to her normal life.

"Some," Joey agreed, leaning against the window and looking out at the world around her.

"Good, bad or ugly?"

"All of the above."

Fiona frowned and focussed on the road ahead.

"You don't really seem like you want to leave," she remarked.

"Whatever I want, I can't have," Joey said. "So there's no point really thinking about it."

* * *

It was night time and Charlie was pondering bed when there was an urgent knock on the door. For a brief moment, she hoped it was Joey. But considering the time, Charlie was sure that she would be more polite than that. When the pounding noise came again, she hurried through to the kitchen to open up. Leah, Ruby and VJ were all in bed already.

"Brax!" Charlie exclaimed in genuine surprise.

She'd thought he had given up on pursuing her now. Before she could speak again, he grabbed her and dragged her out to his car.

* * *

_Next time… Brax's intensions become clear and Joey misses Charlie…_


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

In the passenger seat of her ex-boyfriend's car, Charlie was trying not to panic. It was only a few weeks ago that she had been slung into her own car, abducted and nearly killed. At least Brax didn't have a gun.

"Brax, what the hell are you doing?" she demanded, trying not to show that she was scared.

"I'm fixing this," Brax told her grimly, gripping the steering wheel and staring straight ahead at the road.

"Fixing what how?" she asked.

"Us," Brax told her. "I'm telling you, Charlie, this ends tonight."

Trembling, Charlie gripped the door handle, seriously contemplating throwing herself out. She felt like she couldn't breathe at the realisation that she might have seized upon her second chance too late. Joey, the woman she had never thought she'd see again had been in her house, spent time with her, relied on her… and she _still_ hadn't told her once and for all how she felt. And now she might not get the chance to rectify things.

"Brax, would you please slow down?" Charlie requested.

"Nope," Brax replied, his tone dark. "Not until we get there."

"Get where?" Charlie asked.

He either didn't notice or didn't care that she was terrified. She doubted she was hiding it all that well. Every time she looked at him, she could see Robbo. She felt like she was being tortured by a ghost. And she had never thought she would ever be able to compare the man she once loved to a monster like that.

"You'll find out," Brax told her.

* * *

Joey felt a little anxious closing up the restaurant for the first time since the night Robbo had nearly killed her. She'd sent Fiona home as before, grateful at the way she had held the forte in her absence.

She toyed with her phone, having wanted to call Charlie all day. She missed her terribly and was bereft at having gone from spending all her time with her to none at all. They had parted as friends so she supposed there was nothing wrong with sending her a message. But then, she didn't want to come across as needy.

_She's probably off with Brax already_, she sighed. It was obvious that the pair of them had struggled to stay away from each other from the start. Joey just hoped that Charlie wouldn't sacrifice herself all over again in order to be with him.

"Just get yourself home, Jo," she told herself, sighing heavily. "Just get yourself home."

* * *

Brax pulled up in the middle of nowhere and killed the engine.

"Where are we?" Charlie demanded, still on the verge of panic. "And what are we doing here?"

"We need to deal with this right now, Charlie," Brax said seriously.

He finally turned to look at her, fixing his gaze on hers.

"We've done all our talking," Charlie insisted. "There's nothing left to say."

She undid her seatbelt in the hope that she could escape but he grabbed her by the wrist rather firmly.

"No way," he said. "You might have said all you want to but I haven't. And I am _not _going to let you leave me like this."

Charlie broke free and attempted to get out of the car. He leapt out from his side and met her on hers. Holding her by the forearm, he dragged her into the dark.

* * *

Joey arrived home to her very empty apartment. She had always been happy here before but now the place just felt lonely. She sighed and sank onto the sofa, leafing through the mail that had come that morning.

She wondered where Charlie was, what she was doing and if, perhaps, she might be missing her. But then, if she cared that much about her and had wanted her to stay, she could have. But just like before, Charlie had let her leave. She doubted she was even present in her mind now that she was gone again.

* * *

Charlie stopped and stared at the moonlit picnic. Then she stared up at Brax, who looked particularly proud of himself.

"What is this?" she asked, shocked.

"It's your favourite food, your favourite wine and your favourite person," he told her, leading her towards the blanket Casey had helped him set up.

She stopped him abruptly and shook her head.

"You grab me from my home, throw me into your car… _abduct me_… for a fucking picnic?" she snapped.

He dropped her arm in surprise.

"I didn't abduct you," he protested. "I whisked you off for a romantic surprise!"

"Do you have any idea what Robbo did to me that day?" Charlie said. "Do you have any idea how frightening it was to repeat?"

"But I'm not him," he pointed out, still rather startled.

He tried to grab hold of her again but she jerked away.

"Tonight, I thought you might be," she told him.

"What do you mean?"

"I had no idea what you were bringing me out here for, Brax," Charlie said. "I even thought you might hurt me. Or worse."

"I would never hurt you, Charlie," Brax promised. "I love you."

"But I don't love you," Charlie replied.

She was surprised to hear the words as much as he was. But realisation dawned quickly on her. It was like the scales had fallen from her eyes.

"Of course you love me," Brax insisted. "Only a few weeks ago, we were meant to sail off into the sunset together. We were going to start a new life!"

"And why did we have to do that, Brax?" Charlie asked. "Why did we have to run away from our families, our friends, our life… my job? Why did we have to do that?"

He opened his mouth to speak but no words came out.

"Because we were a disaster and everyone knew it," Charlie said, answering her own question. "Because I'm a police officer and you're a criminal."

"I've changed!" Brax insisted.

"But you haven't!" Charlie argued. "You've tried. God bless you, you've tried. I've watched with pride as you've tried to turn your life around but here we are now, like this."

"Like what?"

"Like you grabbed me and took me from my home into the middle of nowhere," Charlie said. "You didn't even consider how scared I might be after what happened with Robbo. It was all about your needs and your wants. You didn't even take me into consideration."

"It was _all _about you!" Brax insisted.

"And that's on top of everything else," Charlie continued. "That's on top of you going off with other women – _three _times now – on top of the drug deals, the violence, the cons, not to mention all the things I probably don't even know about."

Brax swallowed, looking distraught.

"I've loved you and believed in you this whole time but I can't do it anymore," she told him sadly. "I was willing to give everything up to be with you but thing is, Brax, I shouldn't have had to."

"I was giving everything up for you too," Brax reminded her. "I was giving up my family."

"I know," she said softly. "But maybe you shouldn't have to do that either."

She sighed heavily.

"I'm sorry Brax but I can't be with someone I don't trust," she said. "And I don't trust you. I don't trust you not to hurt me, lie to me, cheat on me, frighten me. You're not the man I thought you were. And we're never going to make each other happy."

He just stared at her, arms limp at his side.

"Please take me home," she requested.

* * *

Unaware that Charlie had not had the chance to take her phone with her when Brax had taken her from her home, Joey lay in wait for some sort of reply. She had given in and texted her that she missed her. But minutes had become an hour and Charlie hadn't responded. She felt crushed.

* * *

"It's her, isn't it?" Brax said, as he turned the car around to drive himself and Charlie back to Summer Bay.

"Who?" Charlie asked, although she knew exactly who he meant.

"Joey," Brax said. "Now you think you stand a shot with her, you're not interested in me."

"It's not as simple as that," Charlie told him, struggling to fit her seatbelt into the catch.

This was the last conversation she wanted to get into now and with him.

"Well, you know what?" Brax said bitterly. "If I can't have you, no one will."

He swerved deliberately into a tree.

* * *

_Next time… the race is on to get to the hospital…_


	20. Chapter 20

_I hope you enjoy the chapter as Charlie's fate begins to unravel. Love, IJKS xxx_

**Chapter Twenty**

The horn blared as Brax's slumped unconscious against the steering wheel. Having crashed before she got the chance to strap herself in properly, Charlie close to death on the grass outside. She lay face down, just next to the tree, having hit it as she'd smashed through the windscreen. She was no more conscious than Brax.

* * *

At home, Joey shuddered. She felt like someone had walked over her grave. Then she started wondering where that particular phrase had come from. She picked up her phone. There was still no response from Charlie. Sighing heavily, she sank back against the sofa and flicked through some TV channels, cursing herself for missing her so much.

* * *

Brax began to stir slowly. His head pounded and he winced at the noise. Sitting up, he wondered why the horn was still blaring. Then he realised it was his phone ringing.

"Hello?" he mumbled, answering it and trying to make sense of the moments before the crash.

"Brax?"

It was Casey.

"Sorry to interrupt but I just wanted to know if everything went okay with Charlie?" his younger brother asked.

"I…"

"Brax, are you okay?" Casey wondered, confused by his brother lack of speech. "Have you been drinking or something?"

"Uh…"

Through the haze, Brax spotted Charlie lying face down on the ground.

"I'll call you back," he said.

Hanging up, Brax stumbled unsteadily out of the car. His face hurt and he had a terrible headache. He could taste blood on his lips. Struggling to stay on his feet, he hurtled towards Charlie, rolling her over and shouting her name. She lay motionless in front of him. Panicked and regretful, he pulled out his phone and called for help.

* * *

Ruby woke up thirsty in the middle of the night. Sleepily, she padded downstairs and past Charlie's room. Frowning, she saw that the door was ajar and her mother was distinctly absent. She headed on through the lounge and into the kitchen, finding the door hadn't been double locked like usual and that Charlie's mobile was on the table.

Memories of the day that Robbo had abducted her surged through Ruby. Panicked, she called for her mother and began searching frantically through the house. But Charlie was nowhere to be found.

"Ruby, what's going on?" Leah asked, hair on end as she thundered down the stairs.

"Mum's gone!" Ruby said desperately.

"Well, she's probably gone out," Leah said, not quite with it.

"In the middle of the night?" Ruby barked. "Without her phone? This is Robbo all over again…"

Realising that her housemate was on the verge of a panic attack, Leah woke up quickly. She forced her to sit down and promised to phone the police immediately. There was no way that anyone was going to waste any time in finding Charlie.

* * *

Brax sat in tears by Charlie's side as he waited for the ambulance to arrive. Never had he regretted anything more than his actions tonight – and he was not averse to mistakes. He ran his hands through his short hair and then took Charlie's hand in his.

"Please be okay," he begged. "Charlie, I'm so sorry. Please be okay."

His tears landed on her hand. She looked like a broken doll, lying lifeless on the earth.

"Please be okay," he said. "Please?"

His phone rang again. It was Casey. Reluctantly, he answered.

"Brax, what's going on?" he demanded.

"There's been an accident," the eldest Braxton sobbed. "You need to call Ruby. I'm waiting for the ambulance to come and take Charlie to the hospital."

* * *

Ruby jumped out of her skin when her phone rang. She was confused to find it was Casey. The pair hadn't spoken since they'd broken up.

"Case?" she said desperately. "What's happened?"

"There's been some kind of accident," her ex-boyfriend told her.

"What's happened to my Mum?" Ruby immediately asked, panic evident in her voice.

"I don't know but Brax said they're waiting for an ambulance now," Casey said. "He said to go to the hospital. I can… I can meet you there if you want."

"Yes, please," Ruby said, more confused than ever.

She hung up and passed the news onto Leah, who had already phoned Miles to ask him urgently for a babysitter.

* * *

"What the hell happened to her this time?" Ruby demanded, as soon as she and Leah arrived at the hospital.

Brax stopped pacing and stood in front of them. He swallowed and had evidently been crying. Leah for one, was rather taken aback at the state of him. Usually he responded to trauma with anger. This was something different.

"We crashed into a tree," was all he said.

"What were you even doing to together?" Ruby wanted to know. "She broke up with you!"

Brax winced at her words, particularly how loud they were. He didn't need the state of his relationship being broadcast for everyone to hear.

"We went out tonight," he explained. "We were talking things through. And then… then on the way home…"

Ruby shook her head, close to tears. She sank into a chair while Leah got the attention of a nurse and asked after Charlie.

"She's in surgery," the nurse said. "I'm afraid it's critical."

"Why didn't she tell me she was going out?" Ruby asked Brax.

"It was a surprise."

"And why didn't she leave a note or at least take her phone?" the teenager persisted.

Casey came to sit quietly beside her. Hospital meetings seemed to be too common at the moment.

"It's not like her," Ruby added.

"Like I said, it was a surprise," Brax explained. "I whisked her away. It was… it was meant to be romantic."

He sighed heavily and sat down. Leah sat beside him.

"Are _you _okay?" she asked, noting the injuries to his face.

"I'm fine," he said. "I'll get checked over later. Right now, I just need to know that Charlie's okay…"

Ruby pulled out her phone. She didn't believe for a second that after everything that had happened, Charlie would have given Brax a second chance. They'd talked about it at length and she had been adamant that it was over. But the one person she knew it would never be over with, was Joey. She dialled.

* * *

_Next time… Brax takes drastic action when Joey comes to the hospital…_


	21. Chapter 21

_Hi everyone! I'm back from my holiday! I'll be posting today, tomorrow and Tuesday, then Friday, Sunday and Monday and then I reckon I'll be back on Boxing Day. Christmas Day might be pushing it though! However, as a Christmas present, I thought I'd do an extra update on Christmas Eve if people want to put their votes in for which story they would like an extra chapter of! Jensy25, I'm really sorry I didn't manage to update Road to Somewhere before I left but I will update that one tomorrow. Anyway, on with the story… Love, IJKS xxx_

**Chapter Twenty One**

Joey was on the verge of an anxiety attack as she arrived at the hospital. She had apologetically phoned Fiona in the middle of the night and begged her to drive her to Summer Bay in order to see Charlie. Fiona, who still held a torch for her boss, had readily agreed and they had driven through the night to see her.

"Thank you," Joey said, leaping out of the car.

Fiona hurried after her into the hospital where Joey immediately fell into Ruby's arms. The girls had got close again while Joey had been staying with them and Joey was more than relieved that she had called her.

"How is she?" she asked worriedly.

Ruby just shook her head. She didn't know what to say.

"She's not…?" Joey asked worriedly.

"And what the fuck would it have to do with you if she was?" Brax demanded, approaching her.

"I care about her," Joey said through gritted teeth.

There was no way this bully was going to intimidate her. She had been through too much and built up too much strength to let him knock her down.

"Well she's nothing to do with you anymore so why don't you get lost?" he snarled. "I'll send her your regards."

"I'll stay here for as long as I want to," Joey told him. "So why don't you just leave me alone?"

"Charlie and I were getting back together!" Brax exploded. "She doesn't want anything to do with you!"

"Okay, I don't know who you are but you need to leave Jo alone," Fiona warned, stepping in between them.

"And who the hell are you? Her guard dog?"

"_I'm_ her daughter," Ruby interrupted. "And whatever happened tonight, as far as I know, you're just her ex so _I'm _telling you to leave Joey alone."

He looked furious but relented and sat down. Ruby tugged Joey to sit beside her.

"They had a car crash," she explained.

Joey tried to ignore the discomfort that Charlie had been out driving with Brax. She supposed a part of her had hoped there might still be a chance for them.

"Mum went through the windscreen and she's in critical condition," the teenager continued, her voice quivering. "They don't know whether she'll pull through or not."

Joey reached to hold her hand, desperate to comfort her in some way. They both looked up when Sid appeared, looking very serious. Ruby, Joey and Brax all leapt up, desperate for news.

"We've stabilised her," he said. "But it's still touch and go. She suffered a severe head injury, which means that if she does wake up, she might not be... quite the same."

"Like how?" Ruby asked worriedly. "Brain damage?"

"Maybe," Sid said. "So you all need to prepare for that. She's very broken and it's going to take a long time for her to get back on her feet."

Brax swallowed, tears stinging his eyes. He turned away from the group and rubbed his face, stifling his guilt. Ruby caught hold of Joey's hand again, squeezing it tightly and praying for strength.

"Can we see her?" she asked.

"One at a time, yes," Sid said.

Ruby nodded, eager to go first. Joey watched her go, just praying that now wasn't the time for goodbyes.

"When she wakes up, she's not going to pick you," Brax warned, standing up close to her.

"I don't care," Joey replied, looking at the door to Charlie's room and not at him. "I'm not here for that."

"What are you here for?" he asked.

"To see her, to let her know that I care," Joey replied. "Not everything is about us."

"Well, she loves me," Brax said, vaguely aware that he might be deluding himself. "And as far as I'm concerned, that's all that matters."

* * *

Ruby was tearful as she sat by her mother's bedside. She was hooked up to machines and didn't seem to be breathing on her own.

"Mum, what were you doing tonight?" Ruby asked, taking her seemingly lifeless hand.

She was comforted that at least she was warm, that blood was still running through her veins, her heart was beating and she was still alive.

"Were you really making up with Brax?" she asked. "I thought your time of sneaking around and keeping secrets was over. And I thought you said it was over with him. Honestly, I was expecting you every day to tell me you were going to find Joey and tell her you loved her and wanted to be with her."

She sighed heavily and looked around the room, full of medical equipment she didn't understand.

"She's here, you know," she said. "I called her and she came running. Mum, she's so much better for you than Brax is. Please wake up and make it work with her. Please?"

With tears threatening to overwhelm her, Ruby stood and leant over, kissing Charlie's forehead.

"I love you so much," she whispered. "And I'll be right here when you wake up. I swear."

* * *

Brax barged into Charlie's room in front of Joey the moment that Ruby returned to the corridor.

"Hey!" Joey protested.

She didn't mind taking turns. She didn't even mind seeing Charlie after Brax did. But she did not appreciate being shoved out of the way so rudely.

"Brax, what are you doing?" Ruby suddenly screeched.

Everyone rushed to the door just as Brax shut it and forced it locked with a pole intended for an IV drip. He came to sit beside his ex-girlfriend.

"Nobody's going to take you away from me," he declared.

* * *

_Next time… can Charlie be saved…?_


	22. Chapter 22

_Just to let you know, there are only a couple more chapters after this one. Love, IJKS xxx_

**Chapter Twenty Two**

"Brax!" Ruby screamed, thumping on the door.

But Brax remained by Charlie's bedside, clutching her hand and pressing it to his lips. She was cold and pale, almost lifeless and seemed so small in the bed surrounded by the machines that secretly frightened him.

"Brax!" Ruby yelled again, on the other side of the door.

Beside her, Joey tried desperately to break through, as did Casey.

"What's going on?" Sid asked worriedly, approaching the frantic group.

He frowned when he realised that Brax had locked himself in Charlie's hospital room.

"Brax!" he called. "Brax, you need to let me in. Charlie's not well."

"You think I don't know that?" the River Boy snapped bitterly. "Why do you think I'm doing this?"

"Why _are _you doing this?" Ruby demanded.

"Because she's mine and nobody else can have her!" Brax said, clutching Charlie tighter.

"For fuck's sake!" Joey bellowed, kicking the door so violently that she nearly succeeded in breaking through. "How old are you? How fucking stupid are you that you think this is about us? This is about Charlie's life, Brax! The longer you stay in there and keep Sid out, the more danger you're putting her in! Don't you think you've done enough?"

She kicked the door again and stumbled back into a chair, her head in her hands.

"What's the problem here?" Watson asked, having finished her shift and come to visit her friend.

"That arsehole has locked himself in with my mother!" Ruby said, screaming the last two words through the door. "She doesn't belong to you or Joey, Brax! If she belongs to anyone, it's me! I'm her daughter! She's _my _mother! If these are her last hours then I'm the one who should be in there with her, not the criminal who put her in that hospital bed in the fucking first place!"

She too kicked the door and sank down to sit beside Joey, promptly bursting into tears. Watson immediately phoned for backup.

"Wait," Casey said desperately. "He's… he's not himself."

It was true. Ever since that fateful day when Robbo had abducted Charlie, everything seemed to have changed. Joey had returned to Charlie's life and Brax had made repeated bad decisions. And this was the latest in a very long line, and perhaps the worst.

"But I can talk to him," the youngest Braxton said. "Just let me try."

They all jolted when beeping came from Charlie's room. Brax leapt up and hurried to the door, desperately asking Sid what was wrong. Joey and Ruby both rushed back to the door.

"Charlie's heart's stopped," Sid explained through the door. "Brax, you have to let me in. I need to get her heart started again or we'll lose her."

Brax hesitated, looking between Charlie and the wall of anxious faces outside.

"Brax!" Casey urged. "If you love her…"

The gang leader nodded and stepped back, unbolted the door.

"Sid can come in," he said. "But you…"

He turned to Joey in a bid to keep her out. She shoved him hard in the chest, angrily taking him by surprise enough that he sprawled backwards onto the floor. She and Ruby waited anxiously by Charlie's bedside, giving Sid and his team the space to work to save Charlie's precious life. Watson wasted no time in putting Brax in handcuffs.

* * *

It was several hours before Charlie came round. She was groggy and confused and it took her a long while to understand where she was, let alone how she had got there. The one joy she took was that Joey was sat on one side of her and Ruby was sat on the other. They held a hand each and all three of them burst into tears when Charlie finally came to.

"I think we're spending too much time in hospitals," Charlie murmured.

Her head was pounding and she felt sick. Her body hurt all over.

"Hey, don't look at me," Ruby protested. "It's not me who keeps ending up here."

"Yep, it's always you," Joey joked.

"Don't think you're getting off lightly," Ruby teased.

Joey smiled but the pain behind her eyes was evident. Everyone had been through the ringer recently and everyone had had enough.

"What… what happened?" Charlie asked, wincing in pain.

"That's what we were hoping you'd tell us," Ruby said. "I didn't even know you'd gone out and the next thing, you were in hospital and…"

She trailed off, looking like she would cry again.

"I didn't really mean to," Charlie said. "I was going to bed and Brax…"

She suddenly recalled the accident.

"Is Brax okay?" she asked.

Joey kept her face impassive but her heart sank at her ex-girlfriend's concern. She wondered how many times she would have to be told that Charlie was over her before she would finally accept it and leave for good.

"Apart from being an absolute dickhead, you mean?" Ruby asked bitterly.

"Well, I'm not about to stand up for him," Charlie admitted.

She shook her head and winced in pain.

"What the hell did he think he was playing at, driving into that tree?"

She froze when Ruby and Joey both looked shocked.

"What?" she asked worriedly.

"He did it on purpose?" Joey asked.

Charlie nodded and then squeaked in agony. She touched her neck and felt stitches.

"Mum, seriously, what happened tonight?" Ruby asked. "We hate him because he acted like a psycho and nearly let you die by locking himself in your room and the medical staff and us out. But are you saying he caused the crash on purpose?"

Charlie's head began to swim. The intensity of the questioning was too much. She sank back against her pillow and closed her eyes, clutching both Joey and Ruby's hands.

"He dragged me out of the house," she said into the darkness. "He called it romantic. I called it kidnapping. We argued. He wanted us to get back together and I didn't and I made him take me home but in the car, he flipped out and basically said that if he couldn't have me then nobody could."

She opened her eyes and looked directly at Joey, deciding to take the leap. After everything she had been through, and not just tonight, telling someone that she loved them suddenly didn't seem such a frightening prospect.

"He knew that I wanted to be with you," she said.

* * *

_Next time… Charlie and Joey finally confess how they really feel…_


	23. Chapter 23

_This is the penultimate chapter so I hope you enjoy it. Also, I know I have a lot of Australian readers and I've been watching on the news about all the fires and stuff so I just wanted to say that I'm really thinking of those that have been affected and everything. I hope everyone is safe. You're in my prayers. Love, IJKS xxx_

**Chapter Twenty Three**

"Why don't I leave you to it?" Ruby suggested.

It seemed that Charlie and Joey might finally be ready to confront their feelings for each other and she didn't want to hinder their progress.

"You don't have to," Charlie said.

"It's morning now," Ruby said. "And I've been up all night. And I stink. I could probably do with going home and showering and changing clothes and stuff. And you two really need to talk. Okay?"

Both women nodded.

"Promise?" Ruby said.

"We promise," Joey told her.

"And just to start you off, Mum loves you, Joey and Joey loves you, Mum," Ruby said. "So I suggest you just get on with it and get back together the way you're meant to."

Both women blushed. Ruby grinned and glided out of the room, grateful that Leah had also been waiting for Charlie to wake up. That way, she could bring her home for a little while, not that Ruby was prepared to let her stray too far.

* * *

Back in Charlie's hospital room, she and Joey looked nervously at each other.

"Sorry about that," Charlie said, embarrassed.

"She always was about as subtle as a brick through the window," Joey chuckled. "But it's nice that she cares so much."

Charlie smiled and nodded.

"It is," she said. "We've been through a hell of a lot over the last couple of years. There were times when I thought I'd lose her completely but… she's been amazing, especially considering my breakup has cost her a relationship too."

She still felt guilty about Casey ending things with Ruby on the basis of the mess Brax had been since Charlie had left him. But she knew more than ever that she had done the right thing now.

"What you've got with her is really special," Joey agreed. "You're lucky. If only you could be a bit luckier in other aspects of your life!"

Charlie laughed and insisted her life was fine.

"I mean, who doesn't end up in a hospital bed thanks to their psychotic ex-boyfriend?" she asked.

"Having already been in a hospital bed thanks to their ex-girlfriend's psychotic rapist," Joey added.

They both laughed sadly and squeezed each other's hands.

"I don't want you to be my ex-girlfriend, Joey," Charlie said seriously.

Joey stopped herself from making a crack about not being able to erase the past.

"I love you," Charlie told her. "And I don't believe that we keep getting thrown together by mistake or accident. I don't think we were ever meant to part."

"Charlie, I had to go…"

"I know," Charlie interrupted softly. "I know why you had to leave. I understand and I respect you for it. I treated you like crap from start to finish. I deserved to lose you and the whole thing was my fault but I've changed, Joey, I swear I have."

Joey studied her damaged but still beautiful face. She knew it was true. She'd known it from the moment she'd seen her again.

"Would things really be different this time though?" she wondered. "I mean, wouldn't we still be facing the same problems? More so, even?"

"No," Charlie said. "I mean, yes, I have a psycho ex to deal with and we'd have a lot to discuss about location and stuff because my life is in the Bay and I know you've set yourself up a good life where you are but the other stuff, the stuff that screwed us up last time… it's gone."

"So, you'd have no problem being seen with me?" Joey asked. "Calling me your girlfriend?"

"Joey, I'd be so proud to call you mine," Charlie said. "You'd never get me to shut up about it."

"Could I hold your hand in public?" Joey wanted to know. "Kiss you without you pulling away in a panic? Could you deal with all the questions and the gossip? Because even if you've changed, the world hasn't, the Bay hasn't. Colleen would still get flustered whenever we were around, we'd still have guys telling us we 'just haven't met them yet', we'd still have all of that."

"I know," Charlie said. "But we could deal with it together."

"Brett still lives here," Joey reminded her. "If I come back and he knows we're together, what's stopping him vandalising your car again or something like that?"

"He's kind of steered clear of me since he ran me over," Charlie said.

"What?" Joey shrieked.

It made Charlie jump. Joey quickly apologised.

"When did he run you over?" Joey asked more quietly, her voice etched with concern.

"Not that long after you left," Charlie said, recoiling at the memory.

It had been a day that had set a lot of things in motion, a day that had unhappily changed the course of her life. Angelo, her then boyfriend, had tried to take her out on a date on a boat. Thinking of Joey and not being over her, Charlie had backed into the road and got run over. It was through that that Ruby had eventually found out that Charlie was really her mother, which had led to her tracking down her rapist father. Then everything had spiralled far, far out of control. And Charlie had missed Joey more than ever.

"But it was an accident," she added. "It wasn't his fault."

Joey nodded but looked unhappy.

"But if he did do anything," Charlie said. "If you being back here, if us being together did provoke him then I promise I'd deal with it better. For starters, I wouldn't shut you out. We could deal with it together. And we wouldn't have the complications of you being in my police care this time. He couldn't interfere like that."

Silence fell between them.

"What if you feel down one day, for whatever reason, and some guy calls you gay?" Joey eventually asked, her voice barely audible. "What would you do then? Sleep with him?"

"No," Charlie said quickly. "If you'd be mine again, Joey, I would never so much as look at another person again. I've learned my lesson."

"Even if it was Brax?"

"Especially if it was Brax," Charlie assured her.

"What are you going to do about him anyway?" Joey wondered, changing the subject just a little. "I mean, he essentially tried to kill you. They've got him in custody for the stunt he pulled here but are you going to tell them what really happened? How you ended up in hospital?"

Charlie nodded. It broke her heart but she knew she had to do the right thing. Half the reason she had ended up in the mess she had was because her desire to see the good in her now ex-boyfriend had outweighed her reason. She'd invested so much in his kindness that she'd excused the bad in him but she couldn't do it anymore. Nobody was above the law, not even him. He'd deliberately driven into that tree in a bid to kill one or both of them. And he had to pay for it. She couldn't just tell him it was okay and then let him move onto the next thing, hurt the next person. It wasn't right.

"I'll get Watson to come in later," she said. "I'll tell her the whole story."

"Good," Joey said. "I think that's the right thing to do."

Charlie smiled sadly at her.

"Joey, do you think you could ever forgive what I did?" she asked.

"I do forgive you," Joey assured her. "I forgave you a long time ago for the Hugo thing."

"But that doesn't mean you can be with me again, right?"

Joey sighed. For the longest time, she had deliberately shut off that side of her, the side that could even contemplate being with Charlie again. But right here, right now, with Charlie laying her heart out before her, she was powerless to resist. She loved her. They loved each other. Suddenly, that was all that mattered.

"I love you," she murmured.

She smiled at the way Charlie's eyes lit up. Even battered and bruised, she was utterly breathtaking.

"I've always loved you," Joey continued. "From the very first moment I met you properly, that day, hiding in the cupboard at the Surf Club. Even though I was in such a mess and I could hardly breathe for all the pain I was in, I loved you. I thought you were the most beautiful woman I've ever met. You still are."

Beneath her bruises, Charlie blushed. It amazed her that Joey could still hold her in such high regard.

"I've tried so hard to forget you, Charlie," Joey admitted. "So hard. But as soon as I knew Robbo had you that day, I didn't even hesitate. I had to get to you, even if I had to die trying. I was actually thinking about you that day, right before I got the note."

"Were you?" Charlie asked curiously.

"Yeah, some song came on the stereo and I just couldn't stop thinking about you," Joey explained. "Then the note came and I rushed out and… well, you know everything that happened from there."

"Do you love me enough to give me another chance, do you think?" Charlie asked hopefully.

Joey lifted Charlie's hand to her lips and kissed it.

"I've lost you and nearly lost you so many times now," she said. "I can't bear to go through it again. Please can we make it work this time?"

Charlie couldn't hide the smile on her face. She closed her eyes as Joey leant in to kiss her tenderly on the lips. They melted together for several long moments, losing themselves in each other.

"I love you so much," the both whispered at the same time.

* * *

_Next time… Joey makes a big decision about her future…_


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty Four**

"Are you really, really sure that this is what you want to do?" Charlie checked.

"For the millionth time, _yes_!" Joey laughed. "And besides, I think it's a bit late to change my mind, don't you?"

The pair of them were sailing Joey's restaurant to Summer Bay. It had been a few weeks and they had carefully settled into their new relationship. Joey had appealed to the council to get all the legalities set up so that she could move her business to the Bay in order to be with the woman she loved.

A part of her was genuinely sad to leave the place she called home. She had built a whole new life for herself there, even a new identity to a degree. But she was aware that she had remained disconnected from the world all this time. Charlie had hurt her so badly on the back of what she had already been through with Robbo, that she hadn't been able to bear to let anyone get too close.

But being with Charlie again had made her drop all her barriers. It had made her feel like she was coming home. She had love and family once more and it made sense to her to actually come back to the place she felt she belonged.

"I'm so happy," Charlie said.

She stood behind Joey and wrapped her arms around her waist, resting her chin on her shoulder and gazing out at the sea in front of them as Joey steered.

"Me too," Joey said happily. "Although you need to sit down soon, okay?"

The police officer was healing slowly from her injuries after the car crash and she was proving to be a terrible patient. She hated being off work, except for the fact that it gave her extra time with Joey. But her body was healing slower than she wanted it to and she was struggling with the terrible fatigue and pain she was enduring. She'd also suffered terrible concussion and it had been quite the journey to recover from the effects of that.

"I will," Charlie promised. "I just want to hold you for a bit, okay?"

Joey smiled and held her hands, leaning back gently against her.

"I can live with that," she said.

They continued sailing in silence for a few moments. Charlie shifted when Joey took a deep breath.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah," Joey said. "Just a bit nervous."

"Nervous?" Charlie asked.

For a moment, she fretted that Joey was regretting agreeing to move into Leah's with her. The idea was that she would move into Charlie's room, the way she had before.

"Starting up the business again in a new town," Joey said. "Well, an old one really."

Charlie's personal fears evaporated.

"It'll be wonderful," she assured her.

"What if it fails though?" Joey wondered.

"A restaurant on a boat?" Charlie said. "With the fishy soupy thing on the menu? How can that _not _be a hit?"

Joey giggled.

"I guess there's a gap in the market now," she mused.

Brax had been charged with attempted murder and was awaiting trial in jail. He had just barely got away with Liam's accident and his various other crimes but there was still time. Morag was acting on Charlie's behalf when it came to the car crash. Subsequently, the restaurant had closed and he hadn't even been able to sell it. At the moment, it was just costing him money while he languished in jail. Nobody felt sorry for him.

"And you're going to fill it perfectly," Charlie told her. "You've done so well where you were living before and you're going to do even better in Summer Bay."

She hugged her a little tighter.

"Joey, everything is going to be perfect now," she said. "I can't say I would have chosen the way we were brought back together but I'd go through my part a thousand times if I could be here with you like this."

Joey smiled.

"So would I," she said. "You'll always be the best thing that's ever happened to me."

* * *

_Well, that's the end of this one. I hope you have enjoyed the journey. Thank you again to stacepike for giving me the idea and letting me go with it. Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed. I am working on some new stuff at the moment, although it'll take a while for it to come out as I'm battling to get up to date with my current stories as I have fallen behind a bit. Thank you all again. Love, IJKS xxx_


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